Transformers Prime: FlameWar
by BlackWolf219
Summary: She has been waiting for this moment. The moment when she would have her vengeance. Now the time has come for her to maker her target suffer the way she has all these years.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: I've only been gone a week or two and yet if feels longer than that. I regret to inform you that Terra Breaker and Pheromone are being put in indefinite hiatus. I hate to leave things undone, but I don't know where to go with them right now. I will try and update Child's Play at another time. This story was inspired by the bio of an upcoming figure as part of the Cyberverse lineup. I am simply going off this character's bio and nothing else. She may or may not be featured in Prime, and if she does, this is what I think should happen.**

**Transformers Prime: FlameWar**

**Chapter 1**

She has waited for so many centuries, traversed so many planets, and survived so many disasters all because of her desire for vengeance. She would not stop until she found it; only then would she allow herself entrance into the Well of AllSparks or the Pits. Wherever she would end up, she would go knowing she'd exacted her righteous vengeance upon her target. She could remember the day all too well, right down to what her internal chronometer had recorded at the time. That was the day it all changed for her, the day she lost what was most dear.

All thanks to that wretched Autobot; they all thought themselves righteous crusaders, protecting all worlds from them. They thought them to be the greatest evil in the galaxy, but there were far worse; there always were. Under the guidance of the prophet, chosen by their collective deity, they fought for what they perceived as freedom, justice, and truth. Lies; freedom was the greatest lie of all time, its promise of joy and prosperity nothing but delusion. True freedom could only be attained through subjection by another.

At that is why they joined with their Lord and Master, the promise of true freedom for all and total annihilation for the Autobots. She had slain a great many in her time, but every time she fought, every time she cut one down, all she saw was the face of her tormentor. That malfunction of a femme thought herself the only one to suffer greatly from this conflict; how wrong she was. She believed herself the only to have seen a loved on perish as the hands of the enemy; they had all seen it, more times than could be counted. In her case, the femme was the one responsible for her torment; and she would pay.

She had watched from the shadows, studying her every maneuver, her every form, her every stance; her every weakness. She had watched the femme obsessively as she hunted down her own target; the spider. Yes, the spider was the sole cause for the femme's actions that brought her to commit the crimes she would pay for. It wouldn't be long before the spider crawled away, never to be heard from again until recently. When she'd heard of her return, she laughed, knowing how short lived it would be.

She would find some way to scurry away again or the Master would simply crush her under his heel. Either way, it was inevitable, but she couldn't care less so long as she didn't take what was rightfully hers. And there were times were it seemed like a reality; but the deity she had lost faith in seemed to smile upon her as distraction after distraction managed to keep the femme from her rightful termination by the wrong hands. Still, it sickened her when to see her comrades show such relief that she still functioned. She'd taken all she held dear and they treated her so warmly.

Still, it was to be expected from those wretched Autobots and how they treated their own like they were Primus sent. Their arrogance knew no bounds, but they would be eradicated soon enough by the Master's might. All she was focused on was exacting vengeance upon the object her ire; the Autobot femme: Arcee. Thinking that name was enough for her energon to boil to dangerous points of heat. She'd sent a message to any mech who dared to use that name ever so lightly around her by ripping out voice boxes (a trick she learned from the Master).

Watching Arcee, she knew how to hurt in a manner that would be almost as painful as the trauma she'd suffered. She had seen how Arcee cared for her "partners"; the loss of her first was what triggered her eventual crime in the first place. She had watched how she began to grow closer to the one they called "Cliffjumper". He was as brash and arrogant as any Autobot she'd ever encountered; a perfect fit for the femme. She had planned so many way to see him ended, each more painful than the last. He would serve as the veil her fury would shine through.

But the victory of taking her beloved partner was stolen by that wretched Seeker, another scavenger who eventually separated himself from the clan. He thought that by leaving one side, neither would notice him trying to feed off their scraps. How wrong he was; they all shared a deep hatred of the Seeker, wanting nothing more than to end him themselves. He would pay for his role in delaying her plans for vengeance. Once again, Primus seemed to have smiled upon her that day because Arcee immediately found another.

This new "partner" was a native to this world, where sentient mechanical life was uncommon. His reaction was to be expected, yet still somewhat amusing. She began to watch him; his home, his place of menial labor, and his place of higher education. As her plan was set back in motion, it was quickly sent back into hiatus when the boy severed all ties with the Autobots. Yet again, Primus seemed to be looking out for here; more of this "miracles" and she might start believing again.

Arcee had followed the boy all morning, wanting him to stay with her despite the clear and present danger. He had agreed and like that, her plan was in motion again. She would hurt Arcee through this boy who designated himself her new partner. The title awarded him a special place in her spark, one reserved only for her partners. She treated him with a certain amount of affection she did not show to any others, even her precious leader.

He was also to blame for her crimes, letting her run off into battle and granting her with his trust as he made her his second to command. If she were so insubordinate, the Master would do more than simply scold her. Just another reason to despise Arcee and let her plan fold out soon.

FlameWar

Deep within the confines of the Autobot base, Arcee stood in front of the femme who had caused her so much pain. Who had tried to cause her family so much pain, a perpetual snarl on her face. Airachnid was frozen in time thanks the stasis pod currently holding her captive. It was the only reason she was still functioning and why justice had not been served. Every metallic fiber of her being told to simply destroy the pod and end her right now.

But with each passing day, she found those thought fading to be replaced by something else. It that was recurring more and more frequently as she spent each day with the thought's source. Her partner, and human charge: Jack Darby. He'd slowly edged his way into her spark, earning her attempts at affection that she never showed to anyone. Even with her leader, Optimus Prime, it was hard to lay out such emotions for others to see.

Of the three Autobots guardians currently at base, she took the least amount of interest in her charge, treating him like another mission. Never had she thought the boy would be so admirable, considering his age. Still, she became more and more fascinated by his culture each day she spent with him. Jack was brave, quick thinking, strong in more than physical ways, and had all of the qualities that made Orion Pax into the Prime she knew and admired. He would tell her otherwise whenever she brought it up, but the similarities were there.

When their Prime had lost his memories and joined the Decepticons, Arcee tried the hardest to get him back, even boarding the enemy warship itself. Her stay was short as Soundwave quickly dispatched her into the Artic. When a way to restore Optimus' memory had been found, she was both excited at the thought and worried for the one who carried all the responsibility of it all; Jack. Having been entrusted with the Key to Vector Sigma by the Prime himself, Jack braved the war-torn Cybertron to recover the Matrix energy. Once again, Arcee threw herself in harm's way to ensure the mission's success, distracting Megatron while Jack restored her leader's memories.

Their mission a success, they returned to base, allowing themselves a brief reprieve from battle to celebrate their monumental victory. Since that event, Jack had changed, becoming bolder and more confident in who he was. The object of her thoughts entered the room, his blue eyes shining up at her, despite the close proximity to the creature that had nearly killed him and his mother. He smiled, "Everything okay?"

"Fine," she returned his smile. "Just thinking about some things. How's everything up front?"

"Same," he replied. "Miko and Raf are watching television. Bulkhead and 'Bee are on patrol. Optimus is locked away in his office. And Ratchet is being… Ratchet." The femme gave small laugh at her partner jab the Chief Medical Officer. Another privilege being her partner granted him, seeing another side of her no one else was allowed to. She led him out of the room, still uneasy about letting Airachnid near him. He watched her with slight worry, "Are you sure everything's okay, Arcee?"

"I am Jack," she replied, hoping he wouldn't attempt to see past her walls this time. She normally didn't mind it, intrigued by how easily he could read others like they were data pads. But for now, she wanted her privacy and tried to convey that to him through his gift. The look on his face told her he wanted to protest, but would relent for now. They entered the command center, watching the ones they considered family go about their routines.

Miko and Raf were watching something on television, a matured version of what humans called "cartoons". Bulkhead and Bumblebee had just returned from patrol and were reporting to Ratchet whatever findings they came across. The medic typed their report into the system, ready to be processed when needed. Optimus was still nowhere in sight, no doubt in his private quarters working on something important. Realizing there wasn't much to be done here, Arcee looked towards her charge, "You wanna head to the old ghost town?"

He smiled, nodding while grabbing his helmet; he was always happy to visit the abandoned town, especially when his mother was out of town for the time being. He loved her and missed her a lot, but the times when she was gone granted Jack freedom to do as he pleased, a privilege he never abused. Except this time, as her absence would allow the two partners to stay in the town for the night. Neither was sure why they were so excited about going there, but the mystery of their reason only increased their intrigue. Arcee shifted into her vehicle form, her engine humming softly as Jack climbed on and steadied himself.

Grasping her handle bars, that was all the sign she needed to drive out of the base, being met by the open sky and desert terrain. Driving onto the road, the two partners rode in complete, relaxed, silence. Arcee disengaged control of her vehicle mode so Jack could take the wheel. It was something she started doing recently to show him how much she trusted him. In the beginning of their growing friendship, Arcee reserved the right to drive herself to their destinations.

It was the last vestige of privacy she had thanks to Jack's gift for reading her emotions; the only way for her to maintain a distance from the boy. By withholding something like that from him, she had told him he hadn't earned her trust completely, a challenge he vigorously accepted. As they grew closer and closer, she opened more of her spark to him, her independent driving the only wall she had left. She had thought long and hard about her eventual decision to start letting him actually drive her. Jack knew what this meant.

She was opening herself up to him completely; a variation of saying she trusted him with her life. He had earned her respect, trust, and slight affection. She was ready to start relying on him more, look to him for comfort and hopefully be sought out for comfort when something plagued his mind. She was ready to finally move on from letting vengeance consume her life and jeopardize her comrades.

She was just ready.

**FlameWar**

She had been alerted right away that the two of them had left the confines of the base, wherever it may lie. She immediately departed to track them, her plan patience having thinned into nonexistence. At last, she would have vengeance on the accursed Autobot. At last, every waking moment of anger and hatred would be unleashed. At last, she would make Arcee suffer; the way she had suffered all these years.

**FlameWar**

**A/N: Transformers Prime and all related characters and franchise are owned by Hasbro. I hope you all enjoyed. This is NOT a Jack/Arcee story. It's more like how they are portrayed in the show or even how I describe them in my short story "Moments". It will also focus on Jack's struggle for survival when he taken captive by our antagonist. Next time: As Jack and Arcee relax in their small getaway, a new enemy arrives, seeking vengeance on Arcee.**


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: Due to the personal time I am taking (for good and bad reasons), I won't be able to update as often as I usually do. Besides, I'm thinking that Terra Breaker is becoming another Curse of the Prime and may share its fate. Let me know what you think. Thanks for the reviews.**

**Chapter 2**

Within the confines of the Autobot base, Optimus Prime strode towards the command center, intent on delivering his daily report to Agent Fowler. Entering the room, he acknowledged the occupants' presence before logging his data into the mainframe. Out of the corner of his optics, he watched his soldiers interact with their young charges. Miko and Bulkhead were watching a monster truck rally while Rafael and Bumblebee raced their remote control cars. Ratchet was working busily on his computer, nodding in greeting to the Prime.

It didn't take long for Optimus to notice the absence of two members of their surrogate family; Jackson Darby and Arcee. But there was no need for concern; the base's data reported they had left mere moment ago to go into town. Whatever the reason, Optimus had faith it was nothing to concern himself with. Still, a small spark worry crept into his mind; all it took was one instance that their guard was down for the Decepticons to inflict physically and emotionally debilitating strikes. All the more reason this war be ended as soon as possible.

The base's monitor's flickered to life with the familiar bellow, "Prime!" Special Agent William Fowler watched the Autobot in question turn his attention to him, his report already on its way to his computer. The dark skinned man had his usual expression of irritation mixed with seriousness. This usually meant he was ready to unleash a tirade about some form of law they had unintentionally violated. Luckily, no such verbal lashing awaited him, "Things been quiet lately?"

"Indeed, Special Agent Fowler," the Prime rumbled in response. "Decepticon activity has been low as of late. There is little doubt they are planning something. For now, we have a rare moment of reprieve."

The agent nodded in response, "Well, 'til the 'Cons show up, have a nice day. You've earned it."

"As have you, Agent Fowler," Optimus replied, switching off the screen to begin monitoring for Decepticon activity. On the adjacent screen, June Darby was speaking at a gathering of medical experts. At Agent Fowler's insistence, the government had placed her under satellite surveillance while she was away from the Autobots' care. Optimus objected to such a violation of her trust and privacy, but the older woman agreed, albeit grudgingly. While he did not agree with it, it was nice to know she was safe from harm at the moment.

Optimus shifted his focus back to observing any Decepticon activity; while this peace was refreshing, it was usually a prelude to a coming storm. One that would no doubt require their immediate attention. Optimus watched the systems carefully, forgotten memories of the data clerk, Orion Pax, resurfacing. This was all he had ever done while in the service of Prime Chronicler, Alpha Trion, and he never took a such an honor for granted. How he missed those days of sorting seemingly endless amounts of data.

But that was the past and he was, at present, working for a future reminiscent of said past. He would dedicate every fiber of his being to see this war ended before another innocent world fell to Megatron's tyranny.

**FlameWar**

In the abandoned ghost town of Winston, several buildings stood in decay, their windows broken and texture cracked. A light dust covered the town and a small fog hovered over the streets. Within a broken building, the raven haired teen, Jackson Darby, and his cobalt blue guardian, Arcee, watched the sunset, the sky a beautiful mixture of yellow, orange, and purple. It was times like these that the two worked so hard for. The Decepticons left little time for rest, so they savored moments like these.

'Moments,' Jack chuckled to himself; the thought reminded him of how he defined his partnership with Arcee. Not through a sibling connection or through the pitfalls of romance, but through small gestures of affection. Watching the sun rise and fall on the horizon was a sight with little to no comparison. It signaled the start of a new day and another day they had survived their conflict with the Decepticons. Jack could only imagine what a rise and fall of star meant on Cybertron during its "Golden Age".

Arcee had told him numerous times how beautifully their cities lit up at the touch of light over their world. The buildings became pillars of light and their shadows stretched along the streets. Cybertronian appeared as heavenly beings under the glow of their star; truly a sight to behold. Jack couldn't help but marvel at how the light gently kissed Arcee's armor while and could only wonder what dozens of sights just like this one looked like. He could always hear a longing sadness in her voice when she described anything from Cybertron.

She missed her home so much; the people, the cities, her family, etc. Jack could only imagine what horrors the war had brought to her otherwise peaceful life. How they twisted her into the reserved Autobot she was now. He wouldn't have her any other way, but would always wonder what she had been like. He felt her slender fingers dance across his back in rare form of affection and he smiled.

He gave her thigh a gentle rub and leaned back into her, allowing himself a brief rest as the sun vanished and night took over. The stars that made up the galaxy lit up the sky, blanketing it in illuminated darkness. The moon was full tonight as a coyote could be heard in the distance. Times like these, Jack was glad to have Arcee with him. His mother being gone granted them slight freedom to enjoy this place as they pleased for however long they wanted.

"Hey partner," Arcee voice pierced his thoughts. "The sun's gone. We should head to back to base. I promised June I'd keep you close."

"Okay," Jack sighed, lifting himself up and climbing out of the building with Arcee, the Autobot shifting into vehicle mode. Slipping on his helmet, he climbed on and tightened his grip before she sped out of the two, her engine echoing in the night. They exited the town and drove towards Jasper, the wind blowing along his body. Jack couldn't help but smile, never growing tired of this feeling. Arcee drove down the road, a small light approaching from the distance.

As they passed each other, Jack took notice of the greyish blue motorcycle, flames decorating its form. Not really his taste in design, but he noticed the rider, a female clad in black leather, a helmet concealing her face. At this, he immediately tensed; one never could tell what was real and what wasn't nowadays. Arcee noticed his discomfort, "Everything okay, Jack?"

"Fine," he replied, "Just wondering about that bike we just passed. The rider looked a lot like Sa-" An explosion forcing them to the side caught their attention, the bike now speeding towards them. Immediately, his blood ran cold, "Decepticons."

"A new one," Arcee growled, going off road. "You know the drill."

"Hide and contact base," he replied as she came to a stop. Arcee shifted into her bipedal form and prepared to fight, only to find their attacker gone. Jack got a good distance, but kept close enough in case they needed to run. His heart raced against his chest as he could still hear a motorcycle hum in the night, the sound coming from all directions. His eyes darted around for any sign of it, but found none.

"Looks like they're gone," Arcee finally decided, reaching for her commlink. "Ratchet, we need a bridge." Moments later, the vortex opened, lighting up the area with its glow. Before either made a move to enter the bridge, the motorcycle sped towards them, slamming into Arcee's knee servo. She fell on her damaged servo and whipped out her blasters. The motorcycle, its "rider" gone, revved its engine like an angry snarl.

Jack stood frozen as the motorcycle readjusted itself and sped towards him, dodging Arcee's fire. He heard Arcee yell for him to get through the bridge and did as he was told. Optimus Prime stepped through the ground-bridge as he did so, making sure Jack was out of harm's way before taking aim at the motorcycle. The vehicle gave another snarling engine roar before retreating into the night.

**FlameWar**

**A/N: I hope you enjoyed. We are ten days way from "The Dark Knight Rises".**


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: Thanks for the reviews.**

**Chapter 3**

She had been so close, yet the deity she was starting to renew faith in chose to abandon her yet again. She had not counted on the appearance of the leader, but it was to be expected. The Autobots so rarely fought on their own. Now, her vengeance had been delayed yet again, but she would not deter. Soon enough, the boy would be in her grasp and then the pain for him, and more importantly Arcee, would begin.

**FlameWar**

Returning to base, the look on both Optimus and Arcee's faces told the others something had happened. All was quiet until the monitors came to life, June Darby's face on the screen. "Finally learned how to use Skype," she muttered to herself. "Hi Jack, how are things?"

"Not good," Jack replied. "Arcee and I were attacked." Immediately, the smile on June's face disappeared and she bombarded him with questions before shooting a glare to the 'Bot in question and her leader, who dutifully stepped up.

"I do not the exact detail, Nurse Darby, but know that no harm has befallen Jack and we do everything in our power to keep it that way." He turned to his second-in-command, expecting a full report.

"Jack and I decided to spend some time in the old ghost town," she started. "When we got there, we watched the sun set and as soon as it was dark, we left. On the road, we were ambushed by 'Con I'd never seen before. We got far enough to contact base for a bridge. That's when it attacked and made a dive for Jack. When Optimus showed up, it backed off and retreated." June's face changed from livid to passive, nodding in understanding and turned her attention back to Optimus Prime.

"I believe it best that Jack stay with us for the-"

"Done," she replied in tone they all feared. "Jackson Darby, you are not to go anywhere aside from school and your job without an escort. Understood?"

"Yes mam," he answered quickly, June shifting her glare to Ratchet.

"If his cell phone signal goes off line for as little as nano-second, I am to be informed," Ratchet nodded. The nurse turned back to two sources of her distress. "Whatever is going in, please try to keep Jack out of this."

"We will do everything we can, Nurse Darby," Optimus replied. "For now, I suggest you get some rest yourself." She nodded and switched off the monitors, leaving the base in state of eerie quiet. Miko and Raf exchanged frightened glances, their guardians mimicking them while Ratchet tried to shake off the shiver running down his spine. Optimus glanced at Arcee, who looked shameful at his gaze; a look he knew all too well.

She was blaming herself for Jack's near capture by enemy hands, even if the disaster had been averted. It didn't take long for her knee servo to show signs of injury, earning Ratchet's attention. Ushering her into med-bay, Optimus contacted the families of Miko and Rafael to inform them they would be staying elsewhere for the night. Since this new enemy attacked Jack and Arcee while they were alone, and would possibly attempt the same with their other charges were the humans their targets. His task done, Miko and Bulkhead and Rafael and Bumblebee departed for their quarters while Optimus checked in on med bay.

"Ratchet," Optimus addressed the medic. "How is Arcee?"

"Fine," he replied, not looking up from his work. "Her knee should heal within a few hours. All I can recommend is the usual; bed rest and plenty of fluids." Nodding, he turned to the femme.

"Where's Jack?" she asked.

"No doubt waiting to hear word on you," the Prime smiled slightly. "How are you feeling?"

"Fine, didn't you hear Ratchet," she replied curtly. She already knew what he wanted to talk about and, unlike Jack, he wouldn't leave it alone. "Whatever it was almost got him, Optimus," she cracked. "I was right there and all I could do was watch."

"You managed to keep the enemy at bay long enough for reinforcements to arrive," he reassured. "That amounts to much more than nothing."

"Tell that to June," the femme responded. "You saw the hate in her eyes when she looked at me. I let her down; I promised I'd keep Jack safe and I failed."

"Jack is safe, only thanks to your efforts. June is merely worried for her son, just as you are. She will calm down eventually. Until then, we must remain vigilant in case of any further attack. Are you certain you have never encountered a Decepticon such as that one before?"

"I'm not sure," she admitted. "If I had seen it in robot mode, I might know who it was and it was dark, so I didn't get a good look at them, until they almost got Jack." The Prime sighed; he knew it would take longer than a few hours for Arcee to emerge from this state of self-pity. For now, all he could do was reassure her from one front while Jack handled the other.

"If it will serve to ease you nerves, I am certain Jack would have no qualms about sharing your quarters during his tenure here." She perked up slightly and nodded, allowing Optimus to leave, encountering Jack in the command center. Before the boy could ask, Optimus answered, "Arcee is fine. Her injury should only take a few hours to heal."

"This is all my fault," Jack buried his face in his hands. "If I had said no when she suggested it, none of this would have happened and she wouldn't be hurt." Optimus sighed again; he had gone from consoling one to the other. They truly were the definition of partnership.

"Jackson, do not blame yourself for unforeseen events. What matters is that both you and Arcee are safe from further harm for the time being. Know that we will find the ones responsible and ensure no further harm comes to anyone. For now, all we can do is rest for tonight. I assume you have no worries over sharing Arcee's quarters." The boy simply nodded, allowing the Prime to watch the monitors for any sign of Decepticon activity.

**FlameWar**

Arcee was released from med-bay and reunited with Jack, gesturing towards the halls that led to her quarters. She allowed him to go first so that he wouldn't see hesitation her knee was giving her. But he could still hear the light grunts of discomfort she gave, his face pained at the thought. She was hurt thanks to his carelessness and, worse, she blamed herself for the whole thing. It may have been her mission to protect him, but it was his, as her partner to make that job as easy as possible.

What Optimus said was true; neither one of them could have seen a new Decepticon coming (except for the part where they actually did), but it was still frightening to think about. When the motorcycle sped towards him, all he could feel was worry and fear; worry for Arcee's condition and fear of what the 'Con wanted with him. For now, neither of them said anything while making their way to her room. Once they arrived and locked themselves in, Jack turned to Arcee, his head hanging in shame, "I'm sorry."

"For what?" she asked, hoping it wasn't for what she thought it was.

"It's my fault," he said, refusing to look at her. "If I had said no-"

"Let's not forget who suggested this whole thing," she argued. "I should've just called Ratchet for a ground-bridge."

"That would have wasted energon, something you guys can't squander!" Jack shouted, looking at her now.

"It wouldn't have been a waste if it meant keeping the 'Cons from getting their claws on you!" she shouted back. "Your safety is just as important!"

"Not as important as your life!"

"That's not your call!"

"It is when it comes to you, partner," he said softly, the mood immediately shifting. "It is when it comes to you." Arcee's expression softened and she knelt down to meet his gaze, ignoring the pain the in her knee. She brushed her finger through his hair and smiled at him.

"Just like it's my call whenever you're in danger," she whispered. "It took too long to get over Tailgate, then Cliff happened. I can't lose you too, Jack." He wrapped his hand around her finger, smiling at her reassuringly.

"You won't, Arcee," he replied. "That's a promise." Everything out in the open, the two partners retired for the night.

**FlameWar**

**A/N: I hope you enjoyed. Nine days until the Rise.**


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N: Thanks for the reviews.**

**Chapter 4**

Her internal systems rebooting, blue optics flickered to life and opened as Arcee emerged from recharge, the first time in months having spent it on her own berth. Moving to a sitting position, the cobalt blue femme performed a diagnostic to make sure everything was in working order. Scans revealed her knee servo was functioning properly again. Sliding her legs over the edge of the berth, she took notice of the raven haired teen sleeping on a cot next to her. The femme's lips curled into a small smile at the sight, before memories of the previous night crept into her mind.

What had been meant to a rare day of relaxing and briefly forgetting about the Decepticons almost turned into yet another nightmare in her life. As per their usual Autobot luck, a new Decepticon had arrived on Earth and intended to make life harder for the Autobots. Whoever of whatever this 'Cons was, they were intent on getting to Jack. They had almost succeeded if until the intervention of Optimus Prime. Jack was safe, but the 'Con got away and would most likely make another attempt on his life.

Arcee continuously replayed the moment where the Decepticon motorcycle sped towards Jack, her firing desperately to stop it. She had been trained better than that; during the War, her sniper skills were second only to Tailgate. She could take the head off a minicon of 200 klicks away, but couldn't keep her hand steady when her partner needed her? Anger and shame filled her spark as she glanced back at Jack, running her slender finger across his cheek. She didn't know when she started these affectionate gestures; she just did.

From what she'd seen during her time on Earth, humans were affectionate creatures, displaying their emotions through physical gestures. She had watched teenagers outside of Jack's school and workplace display emotion through lip contact, meaning they were "involved" as Jack would say. Even at base, she'd seen the humans under their care use physical gestures of affection, ranging from June and Jack sharing a kiss on the forehead or cheek and hugging to Jack placing his hand on Raf's shoulder to the punches to arm Miko gave. At some point, Arcee adopted those gestures and displayed her affection for Jack in a manner that best suited her. Brushing her finger along his face or through his hair showed signs of affection while not outright revealing her emotions.

Only Jack was privileged enough to see this side of her when she would allow to surface; she couldn't imagine letting the others see it. Ratchet was too stiff for any type of conversation that didn't involve science. Bulkhead's clumsy nature and Wrecker style attitude made it hard to be frank with him, as was the case with Bumblebee's child-like antics. Optimus Prime, while someone that could be trusted to see glimpses of her affectionate side, was not someone she would imagine being overly emotional. She hadn't bothered to spend enough time with Miko or Raf to award them with any glimpses; and forget Agent Fowler or June.

Only Jack seemed to know how complex a 'Bot she truly was and seemed to admire her for the quality. Even when she pushed him away, he never strayed too far and would be there when she needed him. For that, she allowed him brief glimpses into her more emotional side; she shook her head. Now she was getting lost in her own thoughts, drifting away from the matter at hand. Jack needed her to protect him from whatever Decepticon had taken an interest in him this time.

She watched as he stirred from his slumber and sat up in the cot, tired eyes looking up at her as he smiled, "Morning, Arcee."

"Morning, Jack," she smiled. "Sleep well?"

"Pretty good," he stretched. "Best sleep I've had in a while. I might just stay here more often." Slipping out of bed, he left her quarters to head for the human wash rooms.

**FlameWar**

As Jack entered the command center, he noticed Ratchet, his back to him, working on whatever project his mind had thought up. Entering the next hall, he walked past several rooms, some doors larger than the others, before arriving at the wash room. He already heard the shower running, meaning Raf was probably inside and Miko was in the woman's wash room. Entering the room, the boy grabbed a towel and some soap before removing his clothing to entering another shower. Allowing the water, the spray him, he became lost in thought about what happened yesterday.

Yet another Decepticon seemed to want him dead, only he had no idea why this one was after him; at least with Megatron and Airachnid, there was a reason. The Decepticon leader wanted him to pay for restoring Optimus Prime's memories. The spider-bot wanted his head mounted on her wall because she had destroyed her ship and was Arcee's partner. The former reason alone was enough for every Decepticon to want to capture him and bring him before Megatron. But there was something different about that 'Con last night.

He still flinched when he thought about the snarling of its engine, almost like a predator ready to pounce on its prey. It would definitely give Airachnid's hiss a run for its money in terms of frightening sounds. He just hoped that whatever happened, nothing bad would befall the others; it was an odd, clichéd notion, but Jack would sacrifice himself to protect this odd group he called a family. It was funny considering he promised Arcee to stay alive, but that was how he felt. He never felt the need to understand it because it just felt natural.

Still, he was rambling on his mind as he got out and changed into a new pair of clothes, Raf having apparently gotten out before him. Exiting the wash room and returning to the command center, Jack joined Miko and Raf in the makeshift kitchen, a breakfast of eggs, bacon, and pancakes awaiting them, courtesy of his mother, who'd left them in the fridge. Pouring himself a glass of juice, Jack sat at the table and they ate in relative silence. The only sound in base was the noise Ratchet's tools made from working on the device obstructed from view by his form. Finally finishing breakfast and cleaning their dishes, the three children gathered at their usual spot in front of the television to play video games.

Raf and Miko played their racing game while Jack watched as the other Autobots emerged from their quarters, Bumblebee taking up a spot behind them to watch the game. Bulkhead and Arcee reported to Ratchet, who tasked the Wrecker with inventory while placing the femme on the much loathed monitor duty. She did so without complaint as Optimus Prime entered the area, a report on the attack last night compiled for Agent Fowler, who would be stopping by in matter of minutes. The eight of them enjoyed a relative calm for what felt like the first time in months as the proximity alarm blared. Moments, later Agent Fowler entered the silo, his features their usual stern irritation, "I'm here Prime, what's the situation?"

"Last night, Arcee and Jack were ambushed by an as of yet unknown Decepticon," the Prime explained with his usual calm. "Whomever it was, they attempted to capture Jack, but were warded off by the arrival of reinforcements. We do not know if Jack was their sole target or if it wall all of the humans in our care, so we have chosen to keep the three of them here for the moment."

"Good call," Fowler looked over the data Prime handed him, describing the enemy. "Any word from the 'Cons yet?"

"Aside from this attack, they remain otherwise inactive. For how much longer, I am uncertain."

"I'll have a security detail watch Nurse Darby while she's at her medical conference," Fowler replied, a plan forming in his head. "In the meantime, it'd be best if you three remained at base and not go into town unless it's for school or, in your case, Jack, work. Understood?" The three teens nodded, allowing Fowler to depart from base just as the alarm blared again.

"Decepticons," Ratchet confirmed, his face darkening as the mood changed. Not needing to be told by his leader, the medic locked onto the coordinates and activated the ground-bridge.

His features as set as stone, Optimus Prime turned to his men, "Autobots, roll out!" Shifting into their vehicle modes, the four Autobots departed from base. As Ratchet awaited for confirmation they'd passed through, Miko took the opportunity to abandon her spot on the plateau and run after the Autobots, Jack following her.

The bridge closing, Ratchet turned to find Rafael, a sheepish look on his face as the medic turned toward the now deactivated bridge and growled, "For Primus sake!"

**FlameWar**

Exiting the ground-bridge portal, Jack was met with the sight of the Autobots, their backs turned to them, as he looked for Miko. How the girl always managed to be so quick, he would never know, but he had to find her. If she's spotted by the Decepticons, the Autobots would be too distracted by her presence to focus on the task at hand. Slipping off to the side, the raven haired teen began his search for the young Asian girl. All the while, he had to keep a lookout for that motorcycle; if it was aligned with the 'Cons and not a rogue, then it might show itself.

Jack moved through the forest, the trees standing tall above him, and kept an eye out for Miko, his usual rant about why these trips were dangerous ready to go. The sounds of the forest came from all directions, keeping the boy on his toes. From every chirp to every growl to every rustle of a bush; normally, this wouldn't bother Jack, but the thought that motorcycle could jump out at any moment frightened him. Suddenly, the sound of blaster fire filled the area, the Autobots and Decepticons had made contact with one another. Jack knew Miko would be wherever the action was and followed the sound.

Part of him told him to stay back, knowing there was a good chance that motorcycle was there, but he knew he couldn't. As much as she annoyed him, Miko was as much family as any of the others and Jack couldn't let her get killed just because he was afraid. Running towards the direction where the blaster fire got louder, Jack soon found himself next to a fallen Vehicon. Taking shelter behind it, he saw the Autobots battle the Decepticons. Optimus was engaged in a sword fight with Dreadwing while Knock Out and some Vehicons battled Arcee, Bulkhead, and Bumblebee. He saw as the red 'Con used his electric prod to try and attack Arcee and felt his breath hitch.

She managed to keep at a safe distance, but was unable to attack. Jack momentarily forgot about Miko and kept his attention on the fight before him. The aerial Eradicons joined in the fight, keeping Bulkhead and Bumblebee occupied while Optimus continued to battle Dreadwing. Arcee and Knock Out found themselves at stalemate as the supposedly dead Vehicon rose to a sitting position, its arm being used for leverage. It took aim at Arcee, forcing Jack to do something.

Climbing on to its arm, he noticed some exposed wires and pulled on them, forcing the blaster to fire, just barely missing Knock Out. He yelled at the Vehcion to watch his finish as Jack ducked out of view. He looked up just in time to Arcee land a kick to the 'Cons gut and a face. Jack couldn't help snicker at the sight before resuming his search for Miko. He found his target snapping pictures with her phone on a ledge overlooking the entire battle.

Her usual Cheshire grin was plastered on her face as she watched the battle, particularly Bulkhead taking down three Eradicons with his maces. As Jack approached, he wasn't surprised that she knew he was there, "Enjoying the show?"

"Miko," he said sternly, "come on. We've got to get out of here, right now."

"Come on," she scoffed. "The 'Cons are too busy getting their buts whooped to notice us. Besides, how often do we get to see a fight like this."

"Too often," he retorted, grabbing her by the arm. "Let's go." Miko opened her mouth for a snappy remark, but stopped when they heard an engine rev. Jack's blood immediately ran cold as the engine's roar became louder. Risking a glance, Jack turned to find the grey blue, flame decorated, motorcycle speeding towards them. Fear gripped him as he his legs suddenly felt like lead, trapping him in his very spot.

The motorcycle sped towards them, its engine snarling like an animal, any window of escape closing as it got closer. He glanced at Miko, the excitement in her eyes gone as he pushed her out of the way. The motorcycle revved its engine again as it stood on its hind wheel, forcing Jack back. The teen quickly ran out of ground and fell over the each, his eyes wide and mouth agape, no sound coming out. He adjusted himself in the air and fell to the shoulder of an Eradicon before falling to the ground. He grasped his shoulder, the body part feeling out of place as he turned to find the battle had stopped.

All optics were on him as Knock Out smirked, ordering the troopers to capture him, only to be taken down by a shot from Arcee. She quickly went to work taking down each Eradicon before running to Jack's side. Worry and slight anger flared in her optics as she looked up to find Miko gazing down at them. It didn't take long for Optimus to retrieve the girl and for them to gather what energon they could and return to base.

**FlameWar**

Emerging from the ground-bridge, Arcee gently deposited Jack in med bay and returned to the command center, her optics searching for Miko. It didn't take long for her to catch a glimpse of black, pink highlighted hair behind Bulkhead's massive leg. Before she could get anywhere near the girl, Optimus intercepted her, his features as stern as ever. One didn't have to know the Prime like she did in order receive the message he conveyed, so she simply stalked off to med bay to check on Jack. Optimus returned his attention the young girl before him, who stepped from behind the Wrecker, ready to face whatever discipline he deemed fitting for her.

**FlameWar**

**A/N: I hope you enjoyed. Seven days until the Rise.**


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N: Thanks for the reviews. I'm sorry if some of you were upset about Miko tagging along with the Autobots. It should be noted she has mellowed down in season 2, but I couldn't think of any other way for Jack to have another close call with our antagonist.**

**Chapter 5**

She had only gotten a small taste of her vengeance today, just like the night prior, having slammed into Arcee's knee. Seeing the damage she caused almost made her forgo her plans for vengeance and end the femme's life right there. But she knew the Autobot hadn't suffered nearly enough yet. Not until she'd lost her precious human partner; not until she saw what would be left of him when she was done; not pieces , but a broken shell. She would break him before ending him; the thought brought a malevolent smile to her face.

She had almost succeeded today, if not for fate's intervention yet again; it dangled her revenge so close only to have stolen at the last minute. She had watched from the shadows so many of her battles since coming into contact with those humans. The youngest female among them called to danger like a moth to fire. Wherever a battle was to be had, she would not be far behind, and neither would Arcee's human. He had designated himself protector of the younger fleshlings and threw himself in harm's way for them.

It was a trait she was more than happy to exploit, and her patience had almost bore fruit. She had watched the battle, watched Arcee, and watched the girl when finally he appeared. The two bickered like siblings over something trivial while she rounded back to claim her prize. It did not take long for her to find the two and she attacked. The boy had "heroically" pushed the girl away, leaving her to trap him, only for him to fall the ground below. The fall was not steep enough to kill him, especially since he bounced off an Eradicon.

She immediately took her leave before Arcee could take notice of her presence on the battlefield. She didn't want to risk the chance the femme might recognize her; not until she had taken the boy from her.

**FlameWar**

Miko stood on the human area plateau before Optimus Prime, Bulkhead, and Bumblebee to give her account on what transpired. She had explained that she followed them and Jack came after her, just now remembering the motorcycle that attacked. Bulkhead interjected, concerned for his charge, "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine Bulk," she replied. "In fact, the bike only went after Jack. When he fell, it didn't even look at me before taking off." She glanced towards med bay, a slight chill running down her spine remembering the venom in Arcee's optics. When it came to Jack getting hurt, she didn't know who was scarier; June or Arcee. At least with June, Miko knew the worst she would get was a lecture. But with Arcee, the girl's very life was in danger.

Arcee never hid the fact she cared about Jack from any of them, nor did she hide her wrath from those responsible for any injury he would suffer. And right now, Jack might've had a broken shoulder thanks to Miko. She didn't even want to imagine what was going through the femme's mind at the moment. If it wasn't for Optimus and Bulkhead, Miko was certain she'd be a smear on the wall. Optimus Prime's commanding tone broke through her thoughts, "Miko."

She looked up at him, realizing he'd been speaking to her, Huh?"

"I am telling you that your actions today were unwise," he gently scolded. "Agent Fowler instructed each of you to remain at base, but no sooner did than after he left, did you defy his wishes and follow us into battle." She hung her head in slight shame, "We have determined that Jack is this new enemy's primary target. But we cannot take the chance they may attempt to attack you or Rafael. You are both to remain in base unless your presence is demanded elsewhere."

They both nodded in confirmation before Optimus left for med bay, coming across Arcee, who watched as Ratchet ran a scan over Jack. The medic had received some training in human anatomy and had just recently "graduated" from bones. He was doing all he could to treat the teenager's injuries. He turned to his second-in-command, "How is Jack?"

"Ratchet said he might have a broken rotator cuff, whatever that is," she replied curtly, looking on in worry as Jack grimaced in pain when he moved his arm. Once again, Jack had been hurt on her watch thanks to Miko. It took every ounce of her being to keep from skinning the girl alive; that and Optimus and Bulkhead standing in her way. She heard small footsteps approach her, glancing down at the girl responsible. She narrowed her optics at her, "What do you want?"

"I just wanted to say I'm sorry and-"

"Sorry doesn't even begin to describe you!" she hissed, keeping her voice low as to not draw attention. "What were you thinking? Did you not hear Fowler tell you to stay at base at all times?"

"Yeah, but-"

"But nothing! Jack's may have broken something important thanks to you! It doesn't even matter. Tomorrow, you'll be back to the same behavior! What's it gonna take, huh? Bulkhead getting-"

"Enough," Optimus rumbled. "Miko, I think it best you remain with the others until Ratchet can give us a diagnosis on Jack's condition." The girl nodded, turning back towards the command center, her shoulders slumped. Once she was out of view, Optimus returned his gaze to Arcee, "Miko's actions, while irresponsible, have provided much needed answers."

"Such as?" she placed a servo on her hip.

"We now know that Jack is this enemy's primary target," he explained.

"Does that mean we can dump Miko off in a ditch somewhere?" she asked, earning a look of disappointment from the Prime. She waved it off, "I know, I know, against protocol."

**FlameWar**

**A/N: I'm sorry if it's a little short. I might update later tonight if I can think of something. Six days until the Rise.**


	6. Chapter 6

**A/N: As usual, your reviews are always appreciated.**

**Chapter 6**

As soon as Arcee dropped him off in med bay, Ratchet went to work treating whatever injuries he could. Jack lay on the medical berth, clutching his left shoulder, his face contorted in pain. Running a scanner over the boy, Ratchet examined the results, noticing Arcee out of the corner of his optic. He paid her no mind, continuing to look over the results. Turning to Jack, he spoke loud enough for Arcee to hear, "It would seem you have a torn rotator cuff, as well as fractured rib. Other than that, just few scrapes and bruises. I would strongly recommend you refrain from anything stressful."

"So, avoid Miko altogether?" Jack managed a lopsided grin.

"Not that way I would phrase it, but that would be preferable," Ratchet continued his work. "By the way, you have some visitors." He gestured towards med bay's entrance where Arcee and Optimus stood. As they entered, Ratchet commented, "Someone's going to have to tell June."

"Isn't that your job, doctor?" Arcee raised an optic ridge.

"I am a Cybertronian Chief Medical Officer," he replied. "Not a human physician."

"But you can treat human wounds?" she crossed her arms.

"It was easy to tell that his bones and muscles were damaged," he stated curtly. "My knowledge of the anatomy is still novice at best."

"Ratchet admitting he doesn't know something," Arcee feigned shock. "Is Unicron rising again?"

Opening his mouth for a reply, Ratchet was stopped by Optimus, "I will inform Mrs. Darby of recent events. Ratchet, monitor Jack for further injury." The medic nodded and returned to scanning Jack, somewhat relieved he didn't have to face that human nurse's wrath. She may have a few thousand miles away, but that didn't mean her presence couldn't be felt here. As the medic worked, the two partners sat in relative silence, the human somewhat afraid to broach the subject on his mind. Still, it had to be done.

"Where's Miko?"

"Who cares?"

"Arcee," he sighed.

"She knew that thing was out there. She knew that you were all supposed to stay at base and she tagged along anyway. That thing almost got you because of her and now you're in med bay with broken… whatever." She didn't care how much the girl tried, Miko would have to jump through hoops again before Arcee would ever think of trusting, let alone forgiving her. Her antics were fine at base, but on the battlefield, they were a hindrance. Losing energon or the occasional object of interest was one thing; nearly getting Jack killed was another.

"Jack," Optimus re-entered med bay. "Your mother wishes to speak with you."

"Could you tell her I'm not in?" he scratched his head, only to be met with the usual stoic response. With a sigh, climb into Optimus' hand with Arcee's help and was taken to the monitors. He soon met by the image of his mother, concern and anger evident in her features. He managed a slight grin, "Hi, Mom."

"What did Ratchet say?" she growled through her teeth, not in the mood for jokes.

"He said my left rotator cuff is torn and one of my ribs is fractured," Jack replied sheepishly, suddenly feeling like a little kid again. He could thirty years old and she would have to do is speak to him in that tone. She immediately accosted Arcee and Optimus with a glare, prompting another response from Jack, "It's not their fault, Mom! I was the one who went after Miko. Just like you raised me to do."

"Running after someone onto a battlefield of giant sentient robots was not what I had in mind," she pinched the bridged of her nose. "How are we going to explain this to your teachers tomorrow?"

"A motorcycle accident?" he suggested.

"A sufficient cover story," Optimus agreed, "But it would Arcee would have to remain at base while Jack is escorted to school by Bulkhead or Bumblebee." The cycle-bot opened her mouth to protest, but a look from both Optimus and June silenced her.

**FlameWar**

The next morning, Jack departed with Bumblebee and Raf to school, Bulkhead and Miko following. Once they arrived, the two Autobots departed for their usual patrol, leaving the three humans to their studies. As soon as the bell for lunch rang, Jack grabbed his food and went outside, immediately being met by Sierra. The red head smiled at him before taking notice of his arm brace, "What happened?"

"Accident," he replied. "My bike's in worse shape than I am, trust me." He took a seat, Sierra sitting next to him, not that he minded. They ate their food in silence while Miko and Raf joined them, surprised by the cheerleader's appearance. It didn't take long for their peace to be interrupted by Vince's appearance; like a shark to blood, his eyes immediately locked onto Jack's injury.

"Looks like someone's gotta booboo, eh Darby?" he smirked; Jack only did his best to ignore him. Undeterred, Vince grabbed Jack by his shirt's collar and yanked him to his feet. "What the matter, Darby?"

"I'm not in the mood, Vince," he grabbed Vince's arm with his free hand, only for the red-head to grasp Jack's injured shoulder, earning grunt of pain. He shoved Jack to the ground, making sure he landed on the injured limb.

"Vince!" Sierra hissed, kneeling down to check on Jack. "Back off, can't you see he's hurt!"

"Please, Sierra," he scoffed, his smirk widening, "Don't baby this loser." Sierra was about to reply when Jack stood back up and sat down, choosing to ignore the bully again. He grabbed Jack, again dragging him to his feet despite Sierra's protests. Before he could do anything, Jack kicked his knees from under him, causing him his face to collide with the edge of the table, knocking him out.

"I warned him," Jack sighed, thankful for those hand-to-hand combat lessons he got from Arcee. Two teachers rushed outside when they heard the commotion, demanding answers. Afterwards, they took Vince to the nurse's office. Sitting in relative quiet, the peace was again disturbed by Jack's cell phone; probably Arcee or his mother. Flipping it open he answered, "Hello?"

"Hello, Jack," an unfamiliar voice replied from the other line. It was feminine, with a slight edge to it, sounding angry and ready to explode at any time.

"Who is this?" he asked, attracting the attention of the other teenagers around. "How did you get this number?"

"I have my ways, now come around the front of the school, alone, or I'll have to introduce myself to everyone here." Standing from his seat, Jack lied to the others and rounded to the front, looking for whoever was calling him. She knew him, but he didn't know her and her threat held the promise of blood if challenged. He searched the area and found nothing, putting the phone to his ear again. Before he could speak, she replied, "In front of you."

Turning his head, he came face to face with the same motorcycle that had been trying to kill him for the last two days. The Decepticon in disguise snarled its engine like an animal that had just corned its prey, "Get on."

"What?"

"Get on! Now!"

"Why should I?"

"Because I have no qualms about killing every fleshling in this school if you don't."

"Not sure how Megatron would like that," Jack glared at the bike. "He likes to keep his exploits out of the news." The bike gave another snarl, inching forward menacingly, but Jack stood his ground.

"All I have to do is activate my holo-rider," she hissed. "Then it's open season. And if I recall, you're government has hard time distinguishing imposters from the real thing."

"What are you-"

"Imagine Agent Fowler's surprise when he learns Arcee attacked an innocent school," he could hear the smugness in her voice. Jack glared at her furiously before climbing on, the bike pulling out before he could even adjust his helmet. Driving at full speed, Jack was forced to hang on at each sharp turn. On the final turn, the exited Jasper, heading out into the desert. It didn't take long for Jack to realize what she was doing.

She wanted to get far enough to call for a ground-bridge to the _Nemesis_ without drawing attention. Jack thought about dismounting the bike while in motion, but he knew that would only exacerbate his injury. It seemed like he was trapped as a ground-bridge portal opened before them, until a red and white ambulance drove out of it. Forced to a screeching halt, the Decepticon could do nothing to prevent Jack from dismounting and joining Ratchet's side. The medic looked ready for a fight, but the bike simply gave another snarl of it engine kicking up a cloud of dust.

With the threat gone, Ratchet kneeled down to Jack, "Are you alright?"

"Yeah," he smiled. "Thanks for the save. How'd you know?"

"It would seem you lost your cellphone," Jack quickly checked his pockets, realizing that he didn't properly secure it in his pocket before they left. "As soon as I lost its signal, traced the Decepticon signal and intercepted."

"Thanks again," he shuffled in his feet. "So who's gonna tell Arcee?"

"I believe honesty is the best policy in a partnership," the medic stood and turned towards the portal, Jack following.

**FlameWar**

**A/N: I hope you enjoyed. Five days.**


	7. Chapter 7

**A/N: Reviews are always appreciated.**

**Chapter 7**

Within the Autobot base, Arcee strolled around the halls, bored out of her processor and worried for Jack. She never liked it when he was too far from her reach. He may have been a short drive away (even shorter with the ground-bridge) but with this mysterious cycle-Con out there gunning for him, she was on edge. Twice now, it had come close to taking him captive only for pure luck to intervene. The second time had earned him a torn rotator cuff and Miko the femme's ire.

Arcee had calmed down and would likely accept an apology if she offered one, but still remained worried. With an injured arm and absent partner, Jack was all the more vulnerable to an attack. If she knew anything, it was that the 'Cons never missed an opportunity when it presented itself so easily. All the Autobots knew of the 'Cons intel on the humans was the small town where they lived, save for Airachnid, who may or may not have known where Jack's house was. But the spider-femme was out of the way and it was doubtful that Megatron would bother to learn where the children lived.

Arcee took some comfort in that knowledge, but her nerves remained tense, ready to be called to action when needed. She entered the command center just as Ratchet departed for somewhere, leaving her to watch the bridge. With Optimus, Bulkhead, and Bumblebee on patrol, this left Arcee the only quick response 'Bot at base. Whatever it was must have been important for Ratchet himself to abandon base. She was about to contact him when he stepped through the ground-bridge, Jack in tow.

"What happened?" she asked instantly. Jack was supposed to be in school, not with them. The only reason he would ever take leave from school and risk his mother's wrath must've had to do with the new 'Con. Ratchet and Jack exchanged glances, both worried. No doubt they were afraid of telling her the truth for fear of her reaction. Not that she didn't have a right to be concerned for her partner, she decided to let cooler heads prevail; taking an intake of the air she didn't need, she sighed, "Tell me. I promise whatever it is, I'll be calm about it.

They both exchanged another worried look before Jack spoke, "Well…"

**FlameWar**

She had been so close! Centuries of waiting, watching, denying herself the pleasure of revenge when the moment was at its most opportune. All wasted thanks to that pathetic excuse of medic they relied on for repairs. She hadn't bothered to think about him, paying more attention to the warriors among them instead. Her biggest mistake, and now the boy had evaded her once again.

She had him in the palm of her servo, all thoughts of what tortures she would implement fervently running through her processor. She wanted to scream, to lash out at the nearest creature unfortunate enough to cross her path. But she didn't; one of the Autobots more "redeemable" qualities was that they always presented more chances. Her anger would be swayed soon enough, and the boy would be in her grasp once again. Then, she would make Arcee pay through him.

She would make the femme suffer in the manner she had suffered for so long; unable to stop the pain, stop the worry. The very thought almost had her salivating like that wretched spider. Rather than get angry, she would wait; revenge was like fine high grade energon; time would only strengthen its taste. Once the boy was in her grasp, she knew it would take every metallic fiber of her being to patiently dissect, make him wish he'd turned away from the Autobots when the chance presented itself. She had waited for centuries; she could stand to wait a little longer.

**FlameWar**

To say that Arcee hadn't taken the news of Jack's near abduction well was the purest definition of understatement. The femme's reaction was almost hysterical, but neither the boy nor medic risked a laugh. Jack knew her reaction was justified and Ratchet never bothered to reason with Arcee once she was like this. Waiting until she had finished, Jack risked a word, "So I'm just gonna head back to school and-"

"The hell you are!" she shouted at him, causing him to shrink into his seat. "This 'Con obviously knows where you, Miko, and Raf go to school! It probably already know where you work!"

"She," he squeaked out. Arcee momentarily stopped her shouting to give him a look. "I could tell from the voice on the other line it was a 'she'."

"At least that's something," Arcee sighed, rage and worry leaving her body as she slumped down next to him. "I'll give them an excuse for why you had to leave, but… Just stay here. Knowing how close I was to losing you again…"

"I know," Jack placed his hand on her larger one. "But stuff like this is always gonna happen. I knew what I was signing up for when I came back. And I'm glad I did."

"I bet you say that to all the bikes," she smiled.

"Nope, just you since you're my first," he grinned as her servo wrapped around his hand.

"Ahem," Ratchet coughed. "If you two are done?"

"Thanks for ruining the moment Ratchet," Arcee frowned.

"You're welcome," he replied curtly. "Now Optimus just contacted base for a ground-bridge, so someone is going to have to tell him, as well as June." Before either partner could say anything in response, the medic replied, "I have work to do in case you're wondering."

**FlameWar**

"And that's when Ratchet showed up and saved my skin," Jack finished retelling his story to the Prime and his mother. June simply pinched the bridge of her nose in frustration while Optimus remained as stone faced as ever. Trying to relieve the obvious tension in the room, Jack offered a small smile, "At least we know it's a femme now."

"Well then, you can ask her out!" June hissed. "Once is one thing, twice is another, but _three _times? That's an obsession if I've ever seen one!" Jack sighed in defeat, his plan to calm his mother having failed.

"Nurse Darby is correct," Optimus rumbled. "This new enemy has clearly identified Jack as their primary target. And from what he was revealed to us, she will avoid harming innocent lives in the process. As such, I believe it is imperative that Jack remain in the confines of our base, safe from enemy view."

Jack sigh again, "Guess I'm outvoted, huh? Fine, but someone' going to have to explain this to my principle and teachers."

"Agent Fowler and I will devise a proper explanation for your absence, however long," Optimus replied. "For now, I suggest you rest for today. I am sure today's encounter has left you in need of reprieve." Nodding, Jack joined Arcee in the halls towards her quarters, leaving the Prime and nurse to talk.

"I don't understand," she said, worry evident in her eyes. "Why is this new Decepticon after Jack? What could he have possibly done to warrant this?"

"There are many explanations, Nurse Darby," the Prime gave her a sympathetic look. "I had thought it was another Decepticon tactic to force our hand into surrendering, but the enemy's clear obsession with Jack has informed me this is a personal vendetta."

"Personal?"

"As you are aware, when Jack restored my memories through the Key to Vector Sigma, an unfortunate side-effect was the ire he attained from Megatron. I have little doubt he would use any means to capture and bring harm to Jack."

"But you think it's something else, don't you?"

Optimus nodded, "The enemy is clearly driven to capture Jack, but in a manner that will affect one of our own in particular."

"Arcee," the nurse replied, the Prime nodding in confirmation. "But why? I thought Airachnid was the only Decepticon Arcee had a personal history with."

"Revenge is a plague, Nurse Darby," the Prime replied sorrowfully. "As such, it can be easily spread from one to another through any act, no matter how insignificant at the time. And Arcee unfortunately became a carrier the day Airachnid slew Tailgate, her first partner. His death and the manner in which it was committed profoundly affected her."

"And you think she 'infected' someone else?" June asked.

"These recent events have made me certain," Optimus' expression darkened. "We can only hope this situation is resolved before any innocent blood is spilt."

**FlameWar**

**A/N: I hope you enjoyed. Three days until a Fire Rises.**


	8. Chapter 8

**A/N: I think I might just scrap Terra Breaker and start from scratch with the sequel. What are your thoughts?**

**Chapter 8**

Jack awoke early in the morning, stumbling out of the cot that served as his bed. He hated morning, but life with the Autobots demanded he get used to them. He couldn't help the disorientation he suffered from sleeping for so long, shaking out the cobwebs and getting a grip. He glanced up at Arcee, smiling sadly at her peaceful form; if only the outside reflected the inside. Inside, she was no doubt worrying herself over this New 'Con and whatever she had in store for them.

Three times, she had tried to capture Jack, succeeding only in injuring him, causing unending worry for her and the others. Now they knew nowhere was safe except for the Autobot base, but Jack doubted that would deter this 'Con for long. Like his mother said, whoever she was, she was obsessed with getting him. It was bad enough that two of the most dangerous Decepticons wanted his head, but this one was relentless. It seized any opportunity to grab and didn't care if anyone else was killed; it was a miracle it ignored Miko.

But he knew it wouldn't stop; the thing he learned about two-wheelers was their shared drive to get what they wanted, no matter the cost. And this new 'Con wanted _him_, for what reason he didn't know. He was afraid to broach the subject, but something in him felt it had something to do with Arcee. She claimed to have no knowledge of this 'Con, but even if they were true, it didn't mean it was the same the other way around. If this was an attempt to hurt Arcee, then Jack would do everything in his power to make her attempts at capturing him as hard as possible.

He'd promised himself, and Arcee, that he wouldn't allow himself to come to harm on her or any Autobot's watch. He wouldn't let Arcee blame herself for things that weren't her fault and would help in whatever way he could. In most cases, that meant staying put where he was, a job made difficult by Miko and other parties. Still, for the most part, he was safe and sound, usually at base waiting for her to return. Finally gaining a sense of balance, Jack exited the femme's quarters, heading straight for the command center.

He found Ratchet working on yet another device he had no business knowing about and immediately sat himself on the couch, turning on the television. His only options in the Autobot base were television, video games, talking with Arcee (who was still in recharge), or helping out around base. He knew Ratchet's idea of helping involved cleaning the entire base, so he just stayed put until Optimus emerged from his quarters. There was nothing interesting on the television, so he just turned it off and waited. He heard fast paced steps down the hall and glanced at Arcee, who looked slightly worried until her optics landed on Jack.

Jack winced; she must have been worried when he got up before her. It was times like this that Jack truly hated the Decepticons. Whoever was trying to capture him was making Arcee feel weak and vulnerable, two things she was anything but. She was becoming worried about when they weren't even in the same room. Jack hoped this new Decepticon would be found soon and her plans stopped before this got worse.

**FlameWar**

She had been searching for the boy since the medic's interference; it made sense the Autobots would want to keep him close. He was in their hidden base somewhere on this planet, only accessible via their ground-bridge portal. For now, he was out of her reach, but not for long. Sooner or later he would leave the confines of the base's protection, whether it had to do with that girl or some other reason. And then, she would take him and finally set her long delayed plans into motion.

**FlameWar**

Arcee couldn't believe how paranoid she was being; when she awoke to find Jack gone, she immediately assumed the worse. When she saw sitting on the couch, she wanted to kick herself for being so stupid. Jack wasn't going anywhere outside of base until this Decepticon was dealt with. With June away on the medical seminar and their cover story in place, no one would bother going to Jack's house. The very thought of him leaving base for any unimportant reason was ridiculous.

The only real problem would be Miko, but her guilt over what happened to Jack would be enough to keep her firmly planted at base or at home. Jack was safe here; there would be no way for the 'Cons to get to him. She had nothing to worry about except for finding this 'Con and putting her down once and for all. She didn't know who this 'Con was or why she was after Jack, but something in her processor told her it had to do with her. Her enemies always knew the best way to hurt her; through her partners.

Since Tailgate, she had made it all too clear she would do anything to keep history from repeating itself, a task she failed in when she lost Cliffjumper. Now with Jack as her current partner, the Decepticons who wished to see her suffer knew how easy it would have been to kill him. Arcee chuckled at the thought; Jack would make their task anything but. He could outwit half of Megatron's top Lieutenants if he really tried. He was definitely an interesting human, one she was glad to call a partner.

Still, she couldn't help the worry that crept into her processor and that feeling was usually a prelude to something horrible happening.

**FlameWar**

**A/N: I apologize for the shortness of this chapter. Next will have Jack captured by our antagonist. How? You'll have to see and find out. In Two Days, A Fire Will Rise. I have learned some information regarding Avengers: Earth's Mightiest Heroes. PM me for if you're curious.**


	9. Chapter 9

**A/N: Thanks for the reviews!**

**Chapter 9**

As 'Bee dropped him off at school, Raf hoisted his bag onto his back and entered the large building. He never missed the looks he got from the other students due to his appearance; being a child prodigy had its faults. Thanks to being moved up several grades, he had little interaction with children his own age, but that was fine. He had Jack and Miko, not to mention 'Bee and the Autobots as his friends, so it evened itself out. Did he ever wonder what kids his own age did?

Yes, but kids his own age never go to hang out with alien robots every other day and have access to advanced tech. The only real drawback about attending a high school at his age was his size. Even if he wasn't the smallest member of his family, he was still pretty small; an easy target for anyone who wanted to push him around. And, sadly, the list was pretty long. Since his family never paid much attention to him (through no fault of their own), he had no one to confide in except 'Bee.

He'd thought about telling the other 'Bots, but decided against it; 'Bee knew there wasn't much he could do, but that wouldn't stop the others. Arcee would no doubt try something and since she was seen around town as Jack's "bike", he'd most likely get in trouble. Bulkhead and Miko would try and scare the bullies off with their usual antics, but that would only earn the Wrecker Optimus' disapproving gaze. The Prime would respect it as an issue Raf wanted to handle on his own, but Ratchet; not so much. He was glad he could count the medic as a friend, but something like this would only worsen his opinion of most humans.

As he went about his classes with Miko, he thought about what 'Bee had told him about Jack. During lunch yesterday, he'd nearly been kidnapped by that mysterious Decepticon. Thankfully, Ratchet managed to stop the act in progress, but they knew it wouldn't deter the 'Con. Optimus had decided that Jack would remain at base with the other 'Bots while Miko and Raf went to school. He had the "pleasure" of listening to Miko groan about how unfair it was on the way here thanks to the commlink system.

She'd almost made a scene at base, but one quick glare from Arcee silenced her. The femme was pretty scary when it came to Jack's safety. Raf couldn't help buy worry for his friend and what that 'Con wanted with him. He remembered Optimus tell Ratchet about how restoring his memory had made him an enemy of Megatron (something already in the works if what the Decepticon Lord mentioned during his brief stay at the base had any fact to it). So maybe this new 'Con was after him on Megatron's orders or something.

Whatever the reason, Jack was safe as long as he stayed in the Autobot base, protected by its shielding. The bell rang to dismiss them for the day; Raf emptied out his locker when it was slammed abruptly by Vince. The red-head's forehead had bandage on it from the table Jack slammed him into yesterday. From the look on Vince's face, the memory was still fresh in his mind. He smirked, "How's it going, half-pint?"

"Fine," he replied gathering his things and trying to leave, but Vince wouldn't let him. The boy grimaced, "Is there something you need help with, other than your math homework?" He couldn't help but smile as Vince growled.

"As a matter of fact," his smirk returned full force. "I need you to deliver a message to Darby for me." He picked up Raf by his collar, his smirk turning in to a devilish grin. Sometimes Raf really hated being so short.

**FlameWar**

As Jack sat on the couch, waiting for Miko and Raf to join him, he mulled over the last few days; among the most stressful of his life. On three counts, he'd nearly been kidnapped by an unknown Decepticon. She'd turned what was a relaxing day with Arcee into yet another "partner in peril situation" with Arcee. The femme had scarcely let him out his site during her time at base, but he endured. He knew this would only last as long as the Decepticon was out there and Arcee was currently out searching for her on patrol.

He hoped she didn't try and take this 'Con by herself, but he also hoped this would be settled and they could go back to how they were before this began. He hated when Arcee became so paranoid about his safety, but it was part of her he'd come to accept. He knew it wasn't easy for her to open up to others, especially him; it was a privilege he never abused. His thought were interrupted as the honk of horns filled the base, earning a groan from Ratchet. He always hated when Miko and Bulkhead showed up after school; it usually resulted in some form of trouble.

Jack walked down to meet them as Raf stepped out, earning a gasp from Jack and Ratchet. The boy's face was covered in bruises, his cheeks swollen and skin a sickly purple, blue, and yellow. His glasses were broken, revealing puffy red eyes. Ratchet immediately ran a scanner over the twelve-year-old, "Rafael, what happened?"

"Nothing," he sniffed, clearly upset by the attention he was receiving. "I'm fine."

"Fine?" Ratchet shot him an incredulous look. "Look at yourself! I'll admit my knowledge of human biology is far from that of scholar, but I'm certain your skin doesn't change color unless brute force has been inflict-"

"I said I'm fine!" the boy shouted, running off in another direction. Ratchet was taken aback by the outburst, but chose not to follow the boy. He knew that if Rafael wanted to talk about, he would only do so when ready. But this did not deter him as he shifted his gaze to Miko.

"What happened?" he asked in a softer tone.

"I don't know," she answered. "But I'll be you my entire Slash Monkey album collection it was that jerk, Vince. I saw him and his cronies laughing it up when Raf came out of school." The girl was too busy stewing in her own anger to notice Jack's face had darkened. He should have known Vince would not be above going after Miko or Raf if he couldn't find him. This was no doubt a message to him for a rematch; Vince had reputation to uphold, after all. Well, if he wanted a fight, he'd get it.

**FlameWar**

He waited patiently for Ratchet to head to the back of base, with the promise that Jack wouldn't touch anything, and for Miko and Bulkhead to depart for their usual dune-bashing. Once they were gone, Jack immediately activated the ground-bridge. Stepping through into a narrow alley, he turned back to make sure it had closed. He knew this was risky, stupid even, but the thought of what Vince had done to Raf made his blood boil. It was one thing to attack him, but it was something totally different.

Exiting the alley, Jack walked down the sidewalk, the sky turning its beautiful orange, purple, and yellow. It was a shame that he couldn't enjoy the sight like he usually did, but his was too angry. It didn't take long for him to find Vince and his friends. The red-head caught sight of the raven-haired teen and smirked, "Wondering when you'd get my invite, Darby! How's the runt?"

"If you wanted a fight, Vince, you should have just called," he growled, eyes narrowing. "But what you did to Raf…"

"I just roughed him up a bit," the teen shrugged. "Not my fault he's a crybaby." Before Jack could retort, a motorcycle engine echoed. All of Jack's anger disappeared as his blood ran cold; he knew that sound all too well. Vince was about to make another remark, before the flamed motorcycle sped out nowhere, stood on its front wheel and slammed him into a wall. His cronies immediately scattered as the bike snarled its engine.

"Hello, Jack," she spoke. "I missed you."

"Leave me alone!" he backed at away as it neared him. "What do you want!"

"You, of course," she replied. "All this has been about you and _Arcee_." She spat Arcee's name like it was poison. Before Jack could react, the bike shot a small device at his chest. He didn't have time to examine it before electricity ran through his body, knocking him out cold.

'Arcee…' he thought. 'Forgive me…'

**FlameWar**

**A/N: I hope you enjoyed. At midnight, we Rise.**


	10. Chapter 10

**A/N: Yesterday, I saw the Dark Knight Rises and I have to say it was the best superhero movie of the summer. That being said, what was meant to be great day for all Batman and Nolan fans alike was turned into a nightmarish tragedy for 12 unlucky families and more when a depraved soul took it upon himself to open fire in a theater in Aurora, Colarado. 12 people killed and dozens more injured, including a three-month old infant. The man behind this heinous act was identified as 24-year-old James Holmes and is being held in police custody while they deactivate any traps in his apartment. We have yet to learn of any reason for this crime, but at the President, whether you support him or not, said, "It's tragedies like this that remind us that we must stay united as a nation." I, for one, hope they find out the reason this man did this and that he sentenced to the darkest pit there is. My thoughts go out to the families of those who lost a loved one.**

**Chapter 10**

She had finally done it! After centuries of waiting, eons of watching, and countless opportunities for revenge lost or ignored, she had Arcee's precious partner in her grasp. She wanted nothing more than to snap his little neck like the twig it was, but she refrained. There would be plenty of time for that later, once they were alone. Now came the hard part; taunting Arcee with his life without alerting the master to his capture.

She knew he would want the boy for himself to torture in retribution for restoring the Autobot leader's memory. She respected her master and would obey his every wish and command, but this was her prize. The boy was hers to destroy and her alone in order to make Arcee suffer how she had all these years. To do this, she would have to risk her master's wrathful hand and keep the boy's location a secret. If need be, she would take it to the Pits with her, leaving him to rot away in the darkness.

That option sounded just as tempting, but she had so many things to do before she would even consider surrendering herself to death first. She looked down at the small fleshling in her grasp, being carried like a sparkling. She smiled malevolently at the sight; these organic were so prideful, so seeing themselves in such a state would be a true treat were he conscious. Perhaps that was for the best at this moment, since he would no doubt try anything to escape. That would only end in more pain for him should he make such a mistake.

Arriving in his cell, she wrapped the chains around his arms, suspending him off the ground and preventing any attempt at escape. Now, she would wait; sooner or later, he had to wake up and when he did, the fun would start. Her smile of malevolence widened like the Cheshire cat as she remained cloaked in the darkness.

**FlameWar**

Returning from her patrol, Arcee pulled into base, her thoughts a mess at the moment. Despite her searching, she'd been unable to find any sign of the Decepticon who'd been targeting Jack. She did learn, however, that humans like to put flames on everything. She shook her head and returned her thoughts to the matter at hand. Entering the command-center, Arcee was met with the sight of Raf sitting on the couch, Miko trying to talk to him.

Taking notice of his bruises, she approached, "What happened?"

"Nothing," the boy sniffed, his eyes still red and puffy. Immediately, Arcee narrowed her optics, placing her hands on her hips. She would not be deterred, not after seeing Raf in such a state.

"What… happened?" she repeated, her tone lowering. Raf tensed at the sound of her voice; it frighteningly reminded him of his mother's when she was in no mood to be lied to. Stifling another sniffle, he explained to them Vince's attack as a form of retaliation against Jack for embarrassing him the day prior. Arcee's optics narrowed even further, a low growl escaping her lips. She had never liked Vince since he enjoyed tormenting Jack, Miko, and Raf, but to do this; maybe they should have listened to Bulkhead and let the 'Cons take him.

"Are you okay, Raf?" her face softened, the boy nodding in confirmation. She gave a small nod of her own before heading straight for her quarters, turning back to the others, "Have either of you seen Jack?"

"He was here when we got here, then he disappeared, probably in your room," Miko shrugged, waiting for Bulkhead and Bumblebee to get back from whatever project they were helping Ratchet with. Arcee gave another nod and headed for her quarters, worry creeping its way back into her spark. It wasn't like Jack not to greet her when she came back from patrol unless he was at work or school. With him being at base all day, she had wanted to take him out for a while, even if it meant risking one of Optimus' infamous lectures. But it was worth for Jack to get some fresh air.

Arriving at her quarters, she opened the door and looked around, "Jack?" Receiving no answer in return, the worry grew stronger, but she ignored it, electing to search her quarters. He might have just been sleeping after all, "Jack? Still no answer and the worry only fed off the silence, "Jack!" This couldn't be happening; not now.

Quickly exiting her quarters, she went back to the command-center at controlled pace, not wanting to alarm anyone in case she was wrong. She checked med bay, the storage rooms, even Airachnid's chamber for any sign of Jack. Once she found none, she decided to use the ground-bridge to lock on to his cell phone signal. Arriving at the control panel, she brought up the bridge's transport records, a list of all the locations they'd been to on Earth. She locked on to Jasper and was about to activate the bridge when her optics caught sight of something.

The bridge had been activated an hour before she returned to base, but scanners revealed that only Optimus had been out of driving range from the base. Bulkhead and Miko had left sometime prior and Bumblebee was with Raf, Ratchet in the back working on something. Now, the Wrecker and scout had returned to aid the medic on his project. With their Prime still on patrol, the only other person who could have used the bridge was…

**FlameWar**

Jack awoke to crippling pain in his left shoulder, his arm out of its sling. Whatever was holding hi was stretching the injure muscles in his rotator cuff. He struggled against them, but that only worsened the pain. His vision clearing, he took in the sight of a dark room, the only light being the blue energy above him. He didn't need to be told what this was.

This was where the Decepticons held their prisoners, usually Autobots, and suspended them with stasis cuffs to prevent them from moving. Since he was human, they had to use chains to hold him, aggravating his injury. How could he be so stupid! He all but laid down to be captured when he left the base to go after Vince. He knew it was stupid to risk it all on that jerk, but he couldn't get the sight of a beaten Raf out of his mind.

Now, he was a prisoner of Megatron, and would no doubt being given "special" attention while on board his ship. He kept struggling, his shoulder throbbing in pain with each motion, but he sucked it up. He had to get out of here and contact base somehow. He could already hear Arcee tearing him a new one for leaving base and getting captured. Still, he'd take that over this, "Resting comfortably?"

Jack stopped his struggling at the intrusion of this new, familiar voice, "Who's there?" He stared off into the darkness, but was met with silence. He turned his head, thinking they were behind him, but saw nothing. "Where are you?" Out of nowhere, a slender servo emerged from the shadows and slid his chin between two of its fingers. Forced to look ahead, Jack's eyes met two dark blue optics staring at him from the dark. He couldn't take his eyes off them; something about them was hypnotic and frightening at the same time.

"Hello, Jack," her optics smiled at him, "I've been waiting for so long to get you alone, so we could 'talk'." She dare not venture any closer, not ready to reveal herself just yet to the boy. "I've had my optics on you for a long time."

"Who are you?" he hissed, trying to shake free of her grasp. "What to do you want from me?"

"Nothing," she replied, her seemingly disembodied optics never leaving, never moving. "I have all that I need now that you're here, with me."

"As touching as that is," he grunted. "I'm afraid I won't be very good company. Now if you let me go…"

"You wit is amusing up close," she chuckled darkly. "But it won't be enough to gain my favor, I'm afraid." She risked venturing closer, but stayed out of the light, "You're here through no fault of your own, but another's."

"Who's?" he glared.

"Arcee," she growled, still trying to make her name sound like poison. "This was always about Arcee and her 'affection' for you."

**FlameWar**

**A/N: I hope you enjoyed.**


	11. Chapter 11

**A/N: As always, thanks for the reviews.**

**Chapter 11**

Optimus returned to base, having successfully scouted a potential energon signal for later use, and was met by Ratchet, "Optimus, we have a situation. Jack abandoned base and hasn't answered any attempt to contact him."

"Do we have a location on his cell phone's signal," he asked.

"Yes, I have already sent Arcee there as well," He quickly reactivated the bridge as Optimus shifted back into vehicle mode and drove through. He exited just outside of Jasper, Nevada and drove through the quiet streets. Driving silently, he listened for abnormal sounds that might lead him to his destination. It didn't take him long to catch the agonized howls of an adolescent; not Jack, but he couldn't ignore someone in trouble. Shifting gears, he drove through the streets to the cries destination.

He was met by the sight of Vince, the boy he'd rescued from Knock Out and Jack's tormentor, being thrown against the wall. Shaking away the pain, he backed away fearfully from a female, clad in a black leather outfit, a helmet concealing her face. The masked rider grabbed Vince by the collar of his shirt, "Where is he?"

"I told you I don't know," the red-head whimpered, prompting Optimus to activate his own holographic driver. He was dressed in red plaid shirt and denim jeans, boots on his feet. He had short black hair, a mustache, and a cowboy hat. Just as the masked rider was about to strike Vince again, he placed a hand on her shoulder.

"Sadie," he spoke to her with authority. "I believe that is enough." With a furious growl, she released Vince and he shrunk against the wall. Optimus kneeled down, "You must forgive her. She is simply worried for her friend, Jackson Darby. If you have any information-"

"I already told her I don't know where Darby is!" Vince shrieked. "It was all a blur."

"Can you tell us what you do remember?"

"We were about to get into it when some bike showed up. It must've been face because I don't remember getting a clear focus on the rider. Next thing I know, I'm waking up and it's nighttime out here. Darby was already gone. Not long after that, she showed up and started attacking me!"

"I apologize for her rash actions," he replied. "As I stated, she is deeply concerned for the whereabouts of Jackson. Thank you for your aid." Standing up, the Prime's holographic driver returned to his vehicle mode, as Sadie hopped back on her bike. Sparing Vince one final glare, she followed the truck down the road. "Arcee-"

"This is all his fault!" she interrupted. "He attacked Raf, knowing it would make Jack angry enough to go after him! I should have just-"

"No matter the circumstances," Optimus continued over her. "I cannot condone threatening any human, unless they are a present threat to the population."

"What about the kids?" she hissed. "He's clearly a present danger to them. He torments them every chance he gets and no one does anything about it!" She couldn't believe he was giving her a lecture right now. Jack was being held captive by that crazed 'Con, whoever she was, and he was scolding her like a sparkling?

"Regardless," the Prime replied. "Our primary objective must be the Decepticons. If we locate the _Nemesis,_ we will find Jack."

"After Megatron and the 'Cons have finished doing Primus knows what to him!" Arcee snapped. "I'm not gonna sit here while my partner gets tortured!"

"And where do you intend to search?" he asked.

"Anywhere and everywhere!" she drove off the road, ignoring Optimus' protest and drove into the night. Optimus stopped in the middle of the road back to base, a heavy sigh escaping him. He knew better than to expect rational thinking from Arcee with Jack in enemy hands.

**FlameWar**

Jack awoke, still suspended above the floor, as the doors hissed open, closing just as quickly, trapping in the darkness once again. Those same daunting optics stared at him, a small amount of amusement mixed with the perpetual bitterness. They approached him, keeping at distance so he could not make out his captor's form. He glared all the same as her slender fingers grasped his chin, yet again, forcing his gaze upon her. He averted his eyes from her, her grip tightening, "You will look at me."

"No," he replied. Her fingers left his chin and grasped his throat, squeezing with the Cybertronian equivalent to minimal force.

"Look at me when I speak to you, organic," she growled, her tone holding the same promise of blood if he defied her. But he didn't care.

"N-N-No," he choked out. He wouldn't give her into; not without a fight. The grip on his throat tightened, his skin turning beat red. After a few more moments, she released her hold on his airway. He gasped for air, but kept his eyes on anything but her. Immediately, he felt a sharp pain run across his torso, something sharp moving, tearing his skin. He gritted his teeth to keep from screaming, the seconds feeling like minutes that felt like hours before it stopped.

Gasping in pain, he spared her glance before looking away. Those daunting optics narrowed, "Every time you defy me, it will only get worse. Not that your stay here will be pleasant."

Jack examined the wound; his shirt was stained by blood from his wound. It didn't take Raf level intelligence to know she was holding back; way back. But he had to endure if he was going to get out of here. His thoughts were interrupted by an electric buzzing. Looking up, his eyes fell on the energon prod in her possession. He swallowed and gritted his teeth, "Bring it."

**FlameWar**

Returning to base, Optimus returned to his bipedal form and approached the monitors, ready to deliver the news of Jack's capture to Agent Fowler and June Darby. Mentally steeling himself, he contacted the special agent first. The answer was immediate, "I'm here, Prime."

"Agent Fowler, I fear we have a grave situation on our hands," the Prime spoke. "I believe that Jack has been captured by the Decepticons and is being held on their ship at this moment."

"What happened? I thought he was hold up tight at base."

"An altercation with another human adolescent drew Jack from the confines of base, making him easy prey for the enemy."

Fowler gave a frustrated sigh, "So who's gonna tell Mrs. Darby?"

"As Autobot leader, I shall shoulder the burden," he replied, switching off the screen and contacting the nurse in question. It didn't take long for her to answer him.

"What happened?" she asked.

"June," he began, his use of her name alerting her to severity of the matter. "I am afraid that, despite our efforts, Jack has been captured by the Decepticons." He paused for a moment to allow the nurse to absorb the information. Her large brown eyes widened, before darkening, tears brimming in them.

"No," she croaked, covering her mouth to stifle a sob. Optimus' own walls of defense against emotion almost gave way. But he remained strong as he allowed her a moment to grieve before continuing.

"June, please know that I am sorry for failing to keep my word to protect Jack from harm. Know that locating and retrieving him unharmed will be our top priority. Arcee has already set out in search for him and we both know she will not stop, no matter the obstacles." June took a moment to pull herself together, tears running freely down her cheeks.

"I-I-I know, she will," she sniffed. "But what will happen to him in the meantime, Opitmus?"

"Of that, I wish I was uncertain," the Prime replied sadly.

**FlameWar**

**A/N: I hope you enjoyed!**


	12. Chapter 12

**A/N: Thanks to you all for your reviews.**

**Chapter 12**

Jack awoke after an undetermined amount of time, his body groggy and sore from his time spent with his "host". After several hours of numerous waves of electric energon being sent through him at once, his captor decided to leave him be before further aggravating his injury by pulling his arm out of its socket. His perpetual suspension only worsened the pain of the aggravation, constant waves of pain shooting through his arm. She then dragged the tip of her finger across the side of his head, blood trickling down his face, a forced sensation on his taste buds. After that, she continued to worsen the cut on his torso through electric shock.

Jack unfortunately found out what burnt skin smelled like, the scent forever etched in his mind. He nearly vomited from the smell, his stomach churning numerous times. Through sheer will, he managed to keep swallowing the bile that force its way up his throat. His head was spinning as he lost consciousness, trapped in perpetual darkness both in and out. The pain was excruciating, but he would endure; Arcee would come for him eventually.

And no matter how much pain she would dish out, he'd take it in spades before allowing her the pleasure of seeing him break. He enjoyed the anger that flared in her optics each time he defied her, which only worsened the torture. He was smart enough to know she wouldn't even entertain the thought of killing him until she broke him. That meant she'd (at least he hoped it did) that she would keep the pain to a Cybertronian minimal. The spent out of consciousness allowed him to mull over the situation.

It didn't take the genius of Raf and Ratchet to figure out this was personal, or at least a message to the Autobots. Any Decepticon knew how much the Autobots, save Ratchet, cared about their human charges, so it made sense. He ignored the voice in the back of his mind that told him it was obvious who this 'Con was trying to get at and tried focus on something else. He was given his alternative focus when his captor's deep blue optics reappeared from the darkness, anger evident in their stare. Jack couldn't hold back his smirk, "Something wrong?"

"You think this is some kind of game?" she hissed. "Granted, your will is stronger than I gave credit for, but you will break. Everyone has a breaking point and humans are no exception." She stung him with the prod again, "Beg for mercy and I may forgive your insolence."

"N-N-Never…" Jack panted as the pain subsided, only to return full force as he was stung again, the prod being held longer this time. The bile returned as well, Jack doing his best to hold it back as she stung him again. Unable to hold it back, the contents of Jack's stomach spilt out onto the floor with sickening splats. Jack grimaced at the terrible aftertaste as he swallowed what remained, panting heavily. He glared at those daunting optics, his mind ready to fall back into unconsciousness.

"This will only worsen until you concede," she growled. "It makes no difference to me whether or not you die here or in the presence of your precious Arcee."

"The… w-w-wor-worse this g-g-gets," he panted. "The… worse… Arcee is gonna beat you." She hissed the human before shocking him back into unconsciousness. The nerve of this fleshling! To actually think she feared Arcee's wrath when she was the one who'd made her suffer all these eons. Her anger threatened to boil over and tear this human limb from limb, but she would refrain until Arcee watched it with his own eyes.

**FlameWar**

Arcee sped through the desert road like she had been since last night, all her thoughts focused on one thing: finding Jack. She'd known from experience that one cycle in Decepticon hands was too long for anyone. In quiet moments, she could still feel the burn of stasis cuffs on his wrists and the acid across her cheek. Worst of all she still hear the whistle of the air followed by the sickening sound of metal against metal and circuitry frying. The image of energon splattering on the walls and the lifeless body hung by stasis cuffs crept into her mind.

'No!' she mentally screamed. That would not happen again; this time she would stop it before history repeated itself, even if it meant losing her own spark in the process. Whoever had taken Jack would pay. But first, she had to find the _Nemesis._ She came to an abrupt stop when her internal systems alerted her to something; her energon was running low.

"Scrap," she muttered. In all the excitement, she'd forgotten to refuel on energon, not that it was ever an issue with her. Her small form allowed her to conserve energon better than most Cybertronians. Making sure there were no witnesses, she shifted into her bipedal form. The more energy she conserved, the better.

Running into the nearby canyon, she hid herself amongst the rocks and continued her search for the Decepticon warship. Her commlink activated, "Arcee." Optimus' held its usual authority with an extra air, "Return to base immediately. Our scans have revealed your energon level it a dangerous low."

"Not until I find Jack," she continued deeper into the rocks.

"It was not a request," the Prime rumbled. "Straining your systems to such dangerous levels will only make you an easier target for the Decepticons. How can you hope to aid Jack if you yourself are captured?"

"I'm not coming back until I find him!" she growled, deactivating her comm before a reply could be heard. The sun's light was blocked out by the rocks, trapping her in shadows as she continued her search. Her optics were dimming from lack of energon, her processor starting to slow down. A voice in the back of her mind pleaded with her to rest before she continued, but she ignored it. She staggered against a rock formation, trying to clear her mind.

It had been mega-cycles since she'd run her energon levels so dangerously low, her only thought on finding someone. The difference was her intent for her target once she found her, the horrible things she'd planned on doing. Airachnid; for eons, Arcee spent the better part of the war searching for the spider-bot. All she could think of was making the black femme pay for what she'd done to Tailgate. It was this obsession that led to her capture and imprisonment at Kaon.

It would be a long time before she would be freed during Optimus' attempt to save their then-Prime, Sentinel Zeta. During the break-out she had forsaken revenge in order to see her fellow Autobots to safety. It wasn't long after that that Cybertron died and the Great Exodus occurred, resulting in their inevitable arrival on Earth. And the rest was history; Airachnid was now sitting tight in the Autobot base, trapped in a stasis pod. Right now, all of her focus was on finding Jack and getting him out of enemy hands.

Trapped in the shadows of the rock, Arcee kept an optic out for any sign of trouble, but a sound caught her attention. It was the sound of pedes against the ground; an enemy was near. Deploying her blasters, Arcee aimed all over the place, "I know you're there! Show yourself!"

Silence was all she received.

"There's no point in hiding!" she shouted, only to be met with more silence. "The dark can't save you!"

"That…" a voice responded, "is where you are wrong. The darkness did much more than save me. It evolved me into what I am, with your aid, of course."

"Where are you?"

"Behind you." Arcee immediately spun around and charged her blasters, the effects of energon withdrawal starting to show. There was nothing behind her, the voice laughing, "I've always been behind you. Watching, waiting, preparing for the day when we would finally meet."

"Where are you!"

"You don't know how long I've waited," the voice continued. "So long, so many opportunities wasted or ignored. Waiting for the moment before you would find another to feed off of."

"What are you talking about?"

"Of course, when you finally found another, my deserved vengeance was robbed by that wretched Seeker. But as fate would have it, you found another." It didn't take Arcee long to put two and two together.

"Where is he!" she shouted, aiming her blasters everywhere.

"I spent months watching him grow close to you, earn your affection…"

"Where is he!"

"After he finally found a place in your spark, I waited just a bit longer for you to become more dependent on him…"

"Who are you!" she charged her blasters and fired into random directions, destroying the rocks around her. She screamed as she unleashed another flurry of firepower in another direction, then another. "Where is Jack!" The sound of a well-placed blast caught her attention as a pile of rocks fell on her, trapping her beneath. He systems were depleted as she struggled to stay conscious. The sound of footsteps drew her attention.

"Opportunities like this are what I've had to ignore for centuries and must continue to ignore until the boy suffers a small amount of your punishment," the voice sneered. "Until then, I will allow to function a little while longer." With that, it was gone as Arcee's vision faded, the last sight being of a portal and a familiar yellow 'Bot running towards her.


	13. Chapter 13

**A/N: Thanks for your reviews.**

**Chapter 13**

She returned to her lair, far removed from the warship; she didn't want anyone to catch wind of her plans for the boy, least of all, the Master. She used one of their secondary lairs, lying in wait in the unlikely event the warship was destroyed. It had enough supplies for her to sustain herself and the necessary tools to use on her prisoner. For the first time in centuries, she felt the smallest glimmer of satisfaction. Know her plan for vengeance would begin to unfold.

Once again, she allowed Arcee to live despite the overwhelming desire to rip out her spark as she lay on the ground. The only thing stopping her was her greater desire to see her suffer the way she had all these centuries. It didn't take long for Arcee to take the first steps into madness just like she had done. It was almost laughable, but she would refrain from such a pleasure until she saw the look of horror on the blue femme's face when she killed her precious human right before her eyes. Said human was proving to be more resilient than she previously believed.

She had inflicted painful, yet non-lethal, wounds, doing what she could to make him break, but his will was strong. No doubt he knew of her plan to kill him in front of Arcee, but it made no difference. She would break him, make him wish he'd never met Arcee, and then end his miserable existence once and for all. Gathering the tools, she immediately entered the organic's holding cell. She was met by the same look, those grey-blue eyes glaring at her intensely.

Were he not bound by the chains that suspended him above the ground and if he were an Autobot, she'd almost be frightened. Not even his usual bravado would be enough to extinguish the flame of excitement growing in her spark. It would not be long before Arcee paid the price for her crime and rightful vengeance would be served. Thinking back to her encounter with the blue femme back in the canyon, she couldn't help notice she didn't recognize her voice. Not surprising considering it had been filled with slight fear the first they had met.

Besides, in her processor, the only one the femme bothered to remember were the partners she'd lost and the enemy she had made in the spider. Her thoughts were interrupted by the organic, "You seem 'happy' about something?"

Her daunting blue optics smirked at him, "Do I?"

"Don't get me wrong," he replied. "You still have the usual insane 'Con look, but now there's that smug sense of satisfaction common to you guys."

She chuckled, "I suppose I have good reason to be 'smug'. I had a rather intriguing conversation with Arcee today." That did it; the human's eyes widened before fixing her with another glare, a hint of worry in his eyes. She decided to humor him, "Fear not. Your precious guardian still lives for the moment, but she wasn't in the best of conditions when I left her."

"What did you do to her?" he growled with gritted teeth. So the human's barriers fell when his beloved partner was in danger. Optics smirking at him, she stuck him with the energon prod, earning the scream she had worked so hard for. The boy's body seized from the electric shock, more of his stomach innards splattering on the floor. The boy groaned in pain, his body shaking, chest heaving, and mouth hanging open, "W-W-What d-d-di-d-id y-y-yo-u do?"

"I did nothing," she scoffed at this human's worry for that femme. "She brought it on herself. Seems like anger blinded her to her surroundings. She brought a large pile of boulders on herself. When I left, the others arrived to collect her." The boy seemed content at this answer, earning a snarl from her as shocked him again, this time aiming for one of the fresher cuts on his body. To think she had someone so loyal to her in this human; loyalty that wasn't deserved. It was aburd!

She would make him see that before she killed him, that she was certain of. Once again the boy's voice broke through her thoughts, "Why?"

"What?"

"Why are you doing this?" he asked, sucking in another breath. "There's gotta be a reason, right? What did Arcee do to you?"

"I suppose you deserve to know why you are suffering for her crime," she replied coolly. "Very well, I shall tell you before we continue."

**FlameWar**

The sounds of medical equipment were the first to register in her audio receptors; next were the voices, the unmistakable baritone of her leader and the gruff tone of their medic. She couldn't understand what they were saying, but she knew they were talking about her. Her internal systems rebooting, she ran a check to make sure everything was in working order. As she suspected, they were, no doubt thanks to the medic's efforts. Even with this 'primitive' technology, he could still work wonders.

Finally opening her optics, she was met with the bright lights of the med bay, her vision adjusting to the lighting. Blinking a few times, her sight cleared and she was able to see clearly as she moved into a sitting position. Immediately, a hand found its way to her shoulder, stopping her mid-move, "Not so fast. Your body is still recovering."

"I'm fine, Ratchet," Arcee shrugged him off and moved her legs over the edge of the medical berth. Shaking away the throbbing in her processor, she looked around, being met by the sight of Ratchet and Optimus. The Prime stepped forward, his face its usual stoic calm. She rubbed her optics, "What happened?"

"When Ratchet finally managed to acquire your signal," he began. "We found buried beneath a pile of rubble. Only you can tell us what happened?"

"I…" she trailed off, her memory returning. She was searching for Jack, trying to find the _Nemesis_, when she was ambushed by the 'Con who took him. "Jack…"

"Did you learn anything on his whereabouts?" Ratchet asked.

"No," she replied shamefully. "But the 'Con who took him, she knew me."

"Ratchet scoffed, "Well of course she did! Any Decepticon aboard the _Nemesis_ knows about us. I don't see how this is relevant."

Arcee shook her head, "No, she said she'd been waiting, watching me. Whoever or whatever she is, she waited until I found a new… partner."

"Then why didn't she attack when you were with…" Ratchet paused for a moment. "With Cliffjumper?"

"I don't know, maybe she was about to do something before Starscream…"

"Regardless," Optimus rumbled. "We cannot let this mystery distract us from locating Jack. Ratchet, continue to scan for the _Nemesis_." The medic nodded and left for the command center as Arcee tried to stand, "Arcee, rest."

"I can't," she glared. "Whoever this is, they want to get to me through Jack. Right now, she could be torturing him."

"I share you concerns, Arcee," Optimus spoke gently. "But we cannot move forward-"

"Without a plan," she replied, her tone flat. "I know, Optimus, I know. But what if we're too late to save him?" Optimus merely placed a hand on her shoulder, not knowing what to say. And that might have frightened Arcee even more than this mysterious femme.

**FlameWar**

**A/N: I hope you enjoyed.**


	14. Chapter 14

**A/N: I apologize for my absence in. Just been taking care of some things (I know I say that a lot). Thanks to those who reviewed and favorited this story while I was gone.**

**Chapter 14**

Jack had been hanging in the dark room for what seemed longer than what he suspected his time here had been. Quiet moments like these were rare with his captor constantly making every waking moment as painful as possible. Thinking back to the pain made his body ache, but he had endured, only for her anger to grow. Thus, Jack's torture lingered on longer with each session, the pain increasing in what felt like spades. He gritted his teeth so much, he was surprised he didn't none of them were chipped or broken.

It would seem his mother's diet had helped him in more ways the he thought. Sure enough, he'd never complain about organic tofu ever again if he got out of here. He shook his head; not "if", _when_ he got out of this nightmare. He knew the 'Bots would get him out of here soon enough; he just hoped Arcee didn't get hurt in the process. Thinking of his partner forced Jack to flashback to his "chat" with his captor that deranged Decepticon femme.

He'd finally demanded an explanation for why she was doing this to Arcee, and she was more than happy to give it to him. He refused to believe what she told him; Decepticons were, as their name suggested, masters of deception. But there was no mistaking the raw emotion in which she spoke when regaling him with the tale. He saw her optics become unfocused, looking off into the distance, unable to stop herself from telling her entire story. He couldn't help the pang in his heart as he saw the deep sadness in her optics and how her voice cracked.

He tried to shake away the feelings as they crept up again, but he couldn't help it. He knew the answer why, but refused to let his mind acknowledge it. But couldn't help the thought that found its way into his mind. The possibility that was she had told him might just be true.

**FlameWar**

Sitting in med bay, Arcee was currently undergoing an energon infusion to replace the fuel she'd exhausted during her search for Jack. The femme watched the IV impatiently as the blue substance flowed into her body, slowly returning her systems to full functionality. She had protested, wanting to return to her search for Jack, but Ratchet refused, threatening to use his wrench on her if she pressed the issue further. He had none too enthusiastically told her that the longer the she waited, the sooner she could burn off energon chasing after her partner. The medic understood her need to find her partner, but didn't want her offlining because she refused to take care of herself.

Optimus was watching the monitors, the screens scanning every single frequency Ratchet knew in order to locate the _Nemesis_. Each scan progressed at its own pace, Optimus growing more concerned with each failed scan. The longer it took them to locate the Decepticon warship, the more likely the scenario of Jack's death seemed. He knew Megatron wouldn't wait long to start his torture of the boy, or risk the torture lasting too long and giving the Autobots the chance to find Jack. The Lord of the Decepticons was extremely careful when it came to such issues.

Arcee watched as her leader's optics switched from one screen to another in succession every few minutes, feeling her subroutines dragging her into recharge. They told her the energon processing would go so much smoother with her systems shut down. She hated the feeling of being forced into recharge; it made her feel like... a robot. As she slipped into recharge, she sent a silent prayer to Primus, pleading for Jack's safety.

**FlameWar **

**(Flashback)**

_In the ruins of the Decepticon capital of Kaon, two femmes were out on patrol, their optics peeled for any sign of the Autobots. Not that they were likely to appear; few of the self-righteous fools ever dared venture here since the city fell into Decepticon servos. They guarded the lands fiercely, capturing any Autobots foolish enough to come here, executing them if necessary. The two femmes were sisters, the only joy they found in this conflict. They were Nightshade and FlameWar._

_ Nightshade was dark purple femme, complete with a door wings on her back, wheels in her heelstrut, her optics the usual Decepticon red. Her sister was a grey blue, flames adorning her chasis. Like most two-wheelers, her front wheel hung in the small of her back and the hind wheel was split into two in her own heelstruts. Her optics were a greyish blue, unusual for a Decepticon, but that was what made her unique. Their Decepticon badges hung to the right of their chest plates. The two sisters were among the first to join the resistance against tyrannical Autobots, taking their cities and slowly pushing them back to Iacon._

_ According to the illustrious leader, Megatron, victory was all but certain thanks to the death of the tyrant, Sentinel Zeta Prime, by the master's hands. A proud day for Decpetcon kind everywhere, a victory made only greater knowing this left the Autobot chain of command in disarray. Without their leader, picking them apart was becoming easier with each day that passed. Nightshade broke the silence, "There's nothing out here."_

_ "There never is," FlameWar replied. "But it's our duty make sure it stays that way."_

_ "I know," Nightshade replied. "It's just that it's so peaceful here, you'd never think there was a war going on here. A war that we're winning by the way."_

_ "Don't talk as if victory will be achieved by tomorrow," FlameWar continued her scan of the area. "You know the Autobots won't give up so easily, even without their Prime."_

_ "But things were so much easier for them when he was alive. Now, their communications are down, their supplies are being cut off and we're taking more of their territory, so we may just win by tomorrow."_

_ "And until then," she glanced at her sister, "we are to maintain watch over the borders." Nightshade nodded and the two continued their sweep of the area. Hours passed and nothing of interest happened, so they went about their usual routines until their sweep was completed. On their way back, FlameWar took the time to admire Cybertron's sky, the stars shining brightly._

_ "You think when the war's over, there will be a place for us?"_

_ "I'm sure there will be a place in Lord Megatron's world for all of us," FlameWar smiled at her sister, her scanner picking up something unusual. _

_ "What's that?" Nightshade asked._

_ "I don't know," she pulled out the scanner and examined the device, her optics widening. Before she could warn her sister, an explosion sent them both into darkness._

_ "Where is she!"_

_ "What's happening?"_

_ "Autobot scum!"_

_ "I warned you!"_

_ "SISTER!"_

**FlameWar**

Arcee jerked awake, her systems fully functional again as a name escaped her lips, "FlameWar? Who was that?"

**FlameWar**

**A/N: I hope you enjoyed.**


	15. Chapter 15

**A/N: Thanks for the reviews.**

**Chapter 15**

In the med bay of the Autobot base, Arcee sat in silence, contemplating what the dream, or rather memory, she had meant. FlameWar; she'd heard that name passed around the Decepticon camps she infiltrated. She and her sister, Nightshade, were usually put on patrol to keep the Kaon borders safe from enemy attack. It was rare that they traveled far from the border onto a battlefield, but when they did, they left their mark. The two sisters were among the fiercest of the Decepticon femmes, decimating patrols, convoys, and scouts.

But what did they have to do with what was happening now? And what was that dream about? These and other questions racked her processor. She'd heard the sisters were attacked and killed by… her? It had to be during her search for Airachnid.

While she searched for the spider-bot, she depleted her energon reserves to the point her memory files were incoherent and out of sync. It had taken Ratchet cycles to repair the damage, all the while chewing her out. Afterwards, she was placed under constant surveillance to prevent her from doing so ever again, abruptly putting an end to her hunt. Despite this, the memories of her search remained fragmented in her mind. She never saw any point in remembering; it'd only tempt her to go after Airachnid again.

Now, this new femme had caused her to remember her part in the sisters' destruction, but why? Did she have some sort of connection to them? Or could it be that she was… But that was impossible; both sisters were reported offlined. And if the memory she'd just witnessed was any indication, there was no way they could have survived.

Then again, as their Prime once said, the past has a way of catching up with the present. It was entirely possible that one of the sisters survived and was now seeking vengeance for what she did. And according to them, they'd been watching the cycle-bot for centuries. And they knew just how to get to her; through Jack. She remembered what Jack had told her after the first night they encountered the bike.

The motorcycle was grey blue with flames, the physical identification of FlameWar; she was said to be the more cunning of the two. And she wouldn't stop until her mission was a success. That drive didn't bode well for Jack or herself. Arcee was used to her past coming to haunt her, but to put Jack in the middle was more than she could bear. One thing was certain; she had to find Jack before it was too late.

**FlameWar**

Hanging in his prison cell, Jack couldn't help but go over FlameWar's story over and over again in his mind. She and her sister were guarding the Kaon borders when Arcee attacked them and killed them during her hunt for Airachnid. The spider-bot had more of an effect on his partner than Jack had previously thought, but it wasn't her fault. If someone had tortured him and killed someone he cared deeply for, who's to say he wouldn't have done the same thing. But that was what exactly happened to FlameWar. She'd seen someone she cared deeply for taken from her, right in front of her.

Now, she had become just as obsessed with revenge as Arcee had been in those days, only Jack didn't think the Decepticons offered any sort of support system. Megatron could care less for the personal lives of his soldiers, if he even allowed them personal lives. Without someone to comfort her, to tell her it would be alright, she'd become like Arcee. All she could think of was what the blue femme had done to her, what she had taken. And that drove her to do anything it took to get revenge.

She'd seen how Arcee had been treated and cared for by the others, and it must have caused her energon to boil. Jack couldn't believe it; Arcee was FlameWar's 'Airachnid'. His thoughts were interrupted by the femme's return, those same blue optics staring at her with pure hatred. "Have thought over what you've learned about your 'partner'?"

"I have," he replied. "And I'm sorry. No one, Autobot or Decepticon, should ever have to endure what you did."

"So now you see why my revenge is just," for a moment, Jack thought he saw satisfaction in her optics, but it didn't last.

"You have every right to hate Arcee for what she did, but it wasn't her fault," he paused when he caught the hatred return to her optics. "Airachnid killed her partner, Tailgate, and-"

"I know about the spider," she spat. "But does knowing that change what she did? My sister is still gone, a victim of her hunt for vengeance."

"But she'd not the same person she was," Jack tried. "When she had the chance to kill Airachnid, she let her live, instead trapping her in a stasis pod. If she can-" He was cut off by a vicious stab of the energon prod, his scream echoing in the room. His body twitched and convulsed as he looked to the femme, her optics blinded by rage.

"So in the end, my sister died for nothing!" she screeched. "The femme killed her in her hunt for vengeance and when the chance presented itself, she denies it!"

Jack panted, "If… she can… do it… why… not-"

"She lost her 'partner', but I lost my sister," she growled. "There is a difference. I grew up with her, we watched out for one another when our creators were killed. We were connected no matter how far apart we were from each other. Can you imagine such a bond being shattered? The pain that accompanies it?"

"No," he whispered. "I can't and I hope I never do."

"Continue to aid the Autobot filth and you will, I assure you," she readied the prod and shocked the boy again.

**FlameWar**

**A/N: Apologies for the short chapter. I hope you enjoyed.**


	16. Chapter 16

**A/N: I think we're nearing the end, but I'm not sure just yet.**

**Chapter 16**

Ratchet watched the monitors from the medical bay, wanting to make sure Arcee didn't over exert herself like usual. The scans were continuing their change in frequency to locate the Decepticon warship. Hopefully, they would find the vessel in time to save Jack from whatever horrors he was no doubt undergoing. Both Arcee and Optimus had been keeping close optics on the monitors, prompting Ratchet to force the Prime to work on something else and threaten to sedate the femme. He understood they were worried for Jack's safety; he was as well, but that didn't mean they could disrupt his work.

The medic continued toying with the frequencies, mixing some together to see the result; he managed to locate some government installations, but nothing of importance to them. He tapped his chin, pondering on what to do about their current predicament. He knew it would take another electrical storm for them to find the ship, but he couldn't give up. It was times like this that he wished for access to the computers he had on Cybertron. But dwelling on the past wasn't getting anything done, so he decided a more direct approach.

Cracking the joints in his servos, he began tinkering with the frequencies in the hopes he could locate the warship. If he could manage to fool the shielding around the ship, he could bridge the others onto it unnoticed. That is if Soundwave didn't catch wind and immediately bridge them to the Artic like he did Arcee. The medic scanned his own memory files for the frequency he'd used to locate the warship before, in the hopes strengthening it. Scanning his files, he recalled the memory; not that he could ever forget since they'd almost lost their leader to the Cybonic Plague.

Remembering the frequency, he applied to the data he was currently imploring and hacked into a nearby satellite. Hopefully, "Uncle Sam", whoever that was, wouldn't mind as he attached the satellite's signal to others, creating a chainlink he'd hope would narrow his search. Hopefully, the warship was currently below Earth's atmosphere. He created a net of satellites around the earth and began scanning for the warship's location. He couldn't help but wonder how much more useful this would have been before.

Then again, the odds pointed to this being their only shot, since Soundwave would no doubt scramble the ships frequency once again to prevent further attempts to hack their systems. Still, at least they would be saving the life of one their human allies. The monitors pinged, summoning everyone to med bay and earning Arcee's attention. It didn't take long for Optimus, Bulkhead, and Bumblebee to enter med bay. The Prime stepped forward, "Ratchet, what is it?"

"I've managed to locate the Decepticon warship," he replied. "Entering coordinates into the ground-bridge."

"How'd you manage to pull that one off, Doc?" Bulkhead asked.

"I could attempt to cram stellar-cycles of space-bridge, frequency decoding, and computer science into you processor, Bulkhead, or you could get moving," the medic barked. "And before you even think about it Arcee-"

"I'm not sitting this one out, Ratchet," the femme stood from the berth, removing the wires that connected her to medical equipment. "My partner's in danger." The medic sighed and ran a scan over her, checking the results carefully.

"Your basic systems are functioning at optimal efficiency, and your weapons are back online, but I wouldn't recommend any strenuous activity." The femme simply nodded and joined the others at the ground-bridge as Ratchet activated it.

"Autobots, roll out!" their Prime rumbled as they shifted into vehicle mode and disappeared into the vortex.

**FlameWar**

When she'd finally stopped shocking him, FlameWar began her process of deep cuts along Jack's body, taking care that she didn't cut anything vital. She still needed him to stay alive long enough for Arcee to witness his death. Only then, would she permit him to die. The human continued grit his teeth together to keep from crying out from the pain, but it was matter of time before his wails of agony filled the room. She couldn't help but remember his words to her about Arcee.

The very thought that the femme had killed her sister in her pursuit for revenge against the spider only to allow her to live was infuriating. If her anger had, even slightly, been wavering, it had returned full force now. Now, her vengeance would be all the sweeter knowing she would not be as weak as her. She would look the femme straight in the optics before finally snuffing her spark. For now, the boy would bear the terrible burden of her anger until the time was right.

Once the cuts were finished, she resumed the use of the prod, letting the device linger on the open wounds she had made. The boy cringed, but did not scream; she had to admire him for making this a challenge for her. It was keeping her on her feet for when she would face Arcee. Allowing him a brief reprieve from the pain, the boy struggled to pull his head up, meeting her gaze. There was something different about his eyes.

Before, all they held was a defiant anger, challenging her to do her worst to break him, only changing when she surprised him or caused him pain. Now, there was another emotion hidden within them; sympathy. The organic actually felt for her, despite defending Arcee's character from her persecution. She had heard humans were overly emotional creatures, but this boy was a mystery. In addition to the anger and pity, there was something else in his eyes, something that was foreign, yet familiar to her.

The mystery of this boy only infuriated her more; leave it to Arcee to find a "partner" capable of the same feats as her. With a furious snarl, she stuck him with prod and process began all over again.

**FlameWar**

The ground-bridge opened as the four 'Bots shifted into their bipedal forms and whipped out their blasters. Scanning the area they were in for any sign of the enemy, they slowly crept down the hall, weapons still drawn. Reaching a console, they managed to map out a path to the brig that would draw the least amount of attention. Taking point, Arcee hurried down the hall, checking all sides before signaling the others to move up. Moving with swift stealth that was foreign to most of them, they counted their luck they had not yet encountered an enemy patrol.

All the while, Arcee couldn't help but think back to the memory of her encounter with FlameWar and her sister, Nightshade. She had killed them in her pursuit of Airachnid, a pursuit that bore no fruit until she stopped looking. FlameWar had apparently survived and had been watching from afar, a thought that sent shivers done her spine. To think that she'd been watching her all this time suddenly filled the cycle-bot with slight paranoia. All the times she was alone, when she had (most times reluctantly) settled down for recharge were times FlameWar could have been watching her.

Her fellow Autobots had called her obsessed when it came to Airachnid and later, Starscream, but FlameWar had her beat. She'd been following her for Primus knows how long, with how many opportunities to kill her. She had wanted Arcee to suffer the way she had all the centuries, by taking someone she cared for in her own pursuit of revenge. Starscream had already taken Cliff from her, so she settled on Jack. She managed to shake away the thoughts as they continued down the hall, getting closer to the brig.

Peering around the corner, she caught sight of two Vehicons standing guard outside a chamber; that had to be it. Why else would they be waiting outside a chamber if Jack wasn't in there? Turning to Optimus for confirmation, the Prime nodded, allowing her to go forward. Moving with utmost swiftness, she quickly drew her wrist blades and slashed the first Vehicon. Before the other to could even reach his com-link, she cut him down as well. The others joined her as she prepared to enter the chamber they were guarding.

Taking a deep breath of air she didn't need, she took her position with the others before the doors opened and they stepped through, their weapons drawn. Arcee quickly scanned the darkned area, "Jack!" When she received no answer, she tried again, "Jack! Are you in here?"

"Maybe we have the wrong room," Bulkhead suggested. "I mean, there's plenty of places to hide Jack here."

"Then why were they guarding this room?" she asked.

"Maybe they were just passing through," the Wrecker shrugged.

"Then we must search the rest of the ship swiftly," Optimus replied. "It will not take long for the Decepticons to catch wind of our presence."

"Of that, Optimus, we can agree," a voice rasped from behind them. Taking aim, they were met by the sight of Megatron, Dreadwing, Soundwave, and the Vehicons, their weapons drawn. The Lord of the Decepticons stepped forward, "To what do I owe this recent excursion into my ship?"

"We are simply here to retrieve Jack," Optimus replied calmly. "Release him at once and we will take our leave."

"Jack?" Megatron raised an optic ridge. "Arcee's human pet?" He gave a small chuckle at the femme's growl. "I'm afraid I haven't seen him."

"We know FlameWar has him!" Arcee shouted. A hush fell over the crowd, the tensions between the two sides growing. Optimus noticed Megatron's optics flashing with a slightly greater rage than usual.

"I am afraid that I do not know what you are talking about," the Decepticon leader growled. "FlameWar was killed along with her sister, Nightshade, during the War. I would expect you of all to remember this, since you were the one responsible."

"Well, she survived and took Jack!" Arcee barked back. "Tell us where he is, now!"

"Honestly, Optimus," Megatron shook his helm, "I would think you teach your soldiers some respect when the enemy outnumbers you." The Vehicons took aim and prepared to fire. "Now leave before I change my mind."

**FlameWar**

**A/N: I hope you enjoyed.**


	17. Chapter 17

**A/N: Thank you for the reviews.**

**Chapter 17**

Jack hung in the middle of his cell, recovering from his latest session with FlameWar. The pain shot through him slowly, his muscles aching from repeated abuse, his bones tingling from the electricity. He struggled to remain conscious as he pondered FlameWar's actions. She had become more aggressive since telling him of her sister's death at Arcee's hands. Jack still had a hard time believing his partner was capable of something so horrible.

Yes, revenge made Arcee frighteningly cold and calculated, but Jack knew how to get passed that side of her to femme he knew. She wasn't a monster like Airachnid, she'd proven that so many times before. But it was different with FlameWar, right down to look in her optics. Arcee's optics, while haunted and cold, still held a spark of happiness, a spark Jack wouldn't let die no matter what. But FlameWar's optics were that of someone dead inside, having no other reason to live if not only to seek revenge on the responsible.

All that she had left was this hate, this desire to make Arcee suffer like she had all these years, but Jack wouldn't give up. He knew that if she had someone willing to help her, then maybe she still had hope. Jack chuckled; that sounded like something Optimus would say. If only the Prime was here right now, then he'd be able to get through to FlameWar. Right now, he wished Ratchet's notion of him being like Optimus was true, but it wasn't.

He could only hope the 'Bots would be able to get on to the _Nemesis_ and- Wait. Now that he had time to think about it, he hadn't heard a single sound coming from outside the room that indicated the presence of others. Not only that, but he hadn't been visited by Megatron, who would love nothing more than see Jack in this state. And there weren't even any Vehicons coming and going from the area. Jack was sure he would have seen at least one or two pass by during his time her by now.

Did that mean he wasn't on the Decepticon warship? Was he being held somewhere else? That would make some sense, but the question begged: Where was he if not the _Nemesis_?

FlameWar entered the room, her optics still holding nothing but contempt for the human, "Resting comfortably?"

"Where am I?" he glared at her.

"You are being held prisoner," she replied. "Have the shocks finally gone to your brain?"

"No," he growled. "Where am I? We're not on the _Nemesis._"

"Of course not," she scoffed. "You are mine to kill, no one else's. Not even the masters. So I am using an alternative means of residence."

**FlameWar**

The Autobots stood, their weapons drawn across from the Decepticons, theirs drawn as well, both sides ready to fire. Jack was apparently not on the ship as previously thought if Megatron's comments were anything to go on. The silver mech glared at them all, his patience running thin, "I will 'ask' you one last time: Leave my ship or be obliterated!"

"Not without Jack!" Arcee growled.

"If I had the human on my ship, his body would have already been returned to you in pieces!" Megatron replied. "And I would have made sure you knew it was I who had done the deed. Now, if you please…"

"Megatron," Optimus interrupted. "Are there any alternative bases on this planet? If so, then you must tell us."

Megatron laughed, "And why would I tell if such places existed? So you can save your little pet? Even if I believed your tale of one of my top Lieutenants still functioning after your femme brutality cut them down, why would I deny them the chance at vengeance?"

"Because you yourself wish vengeance upon Jack," the Prime narrowed his optics. "And your pride would allow no one other than yourself to exact it upon him."

"So very true, Optimus," Megatron chuckled. "But I still see no benefit for me in telling you the location of Decepticon fortitudes, should they exist, just so you can save your human." He raised his fusion cannon, "Now leave my ship before I decide to end you all myself! Soundwave, show our guests the way out." The silent mech nodded and activated the ground-bridge behind the Autobots, "Do not turn away my kindness on such a rare day."

"Autobots," Optimus spoke. "Fall back." With reluctance, the four 'Bots entered the vortex, leaving Megatron to his thoughts.

"Lord Megatron," Dreadwing spoke. "Forgive my questioning of your all-knowing wisdom, but why did we allow the Autobots to leave?"

"Because while they search frantically for their pet, we can work on decoding and retrieving the remainder of the Iacon relics without distraction." He glanced at Soundwave, who nodded and returned to his work while the Decepticon went about their daily routines. Megatron found himself lost in thought; he had been told that FlameWar and her sister, Nightshade, had perished at the blue femme's servos. If that were true, then why would either one of them come to Earth without pledging their loyalty to him first? They were not ones to make such a grave error in judgment, nor were they ever so insubordinate.

Perhaps, he should look into this.

**FlameWar**

**A/N: Sorry for the shortness, but I hoped you enjoyed.**


	18. Chapter 18

**A/N: Thanks to all who have reviewed.**

**Chapter 18**

Ratchet locked on to the others coordinates and activated the ground-bridge, revealing four solemn Autobots. Their expressions told the medic they had failed to retrieve Jack from enemy hands, but there was something beneath their looks. Normally, Arcee would have blown a hole in the _Nemesis_ if it meant getting Jack back, so why wasn't the human with them? He knew there was only one way to get the answers, "Optimus, what happened? Did you locate Jack?"

"I am afraid not, old friend," The Prime replied. "Megatron claimed Jack was not on the ship."

"And you believed him?" the medic raised an optic ridge.

"I do. Megatron would not hesitate to boast about his accomplishment in abducting Jack, nor would he linger on torturing him without us knowing every step of the way. We believe Jack is being held in some of auxiliary base, but we have no means of locating him." As the Prime and medic discussed ways to locate Jack, Arcee drowned out all sound and entered deep thought. FlameWar had Jack in some sort of secondary Decepticon base, but they had no way of knowing where to search. The thought of just sitting around and waiting for some miracle to happen infuriated her. She could only hope that between Optimus' wisdom and Ratchet's expertise with computers, they would be able to find a solution.

But even the two of them couldn't come up with something on the spot, no matter the circumstances. She began to pace, thinking of any way she could find those other base, but none came. Even if she found the Decepticon bases, Primus knows how many of them there were. There plenty of places on Earth that could be used for shelter. But she had to try and think of something; Jack's life depended on it.

It was infuriating; he could think of the cleverest ways to help himself or the others when he needed to, but she couldn't do the same for him. Just another attribute she took for granted in their partnership, but that was going to change. Using every bit of her processor, she tried to think of ways to find those bases or where they would even be located, but that process was slow. All she ever thought about was the day she let Airachnid live, the day she lost Tailgate, the day she lost Cliff and met Jack, and when she discovered who was responsible for Cliff's death. Her optics snapped open; of course!

Starscream; that cowardly Seeker was Megatron's second-in-command for eons, so he had to have insider knowledge as to the whereabouts of any Decepticon base. Maybe that was how he was evading capture or termination from both sides. But that meant he, too, could be anywhere on Earth; just another reason for her to kick herself. Starscream had offered to join them and share any knowledge he had on the Decepticons. But she chose to exact vengeance for Cliff and attempt to snuff his spark instead.

But she didn't care; it was their best shot at finding Jack before FlameWar decided to kill, if she hadn't already. Turning towards the others, she spoke, "What about Starscream?"

"Huh?" Bulkhead and Bumblebee's optics widened. They hadn't expected Arcee to suggest they go to Starscream for help, but it made sense. He probably knew about a few of Megatron's most valuable secrets, but he couldn't be trusted. He'd want something in return and they couldn't risk him gaining any leverage over them for future use. Bulkhead stepped forward, "Are you serious?"

"It's our best shot at finding Jack before it's too late," she replied. "Believe me, if there's another way, I'm open to suggestion, but Jack's counting on us." Optimus watched his second-in-command, noting the determination in her optics. He too had thought of locating Starscream for assistance, but was worried about her reaction. To know that she was willing to put personal vendettas behind for the safety of one of their humans filled him with a sense of pride.

"Ratchet, is it possible to locate Starscream's signal?"

"I can try, Optimus, but it will take some time," he started working on the computer, tinkering with several frequencies while the others watched.

**FlameWar**

Within the confines of her hideaway, she waited; the time was drawing close for this farce to end. Soon, the boy would lose his value and she would gladly put him down like the dogs his species were. And she'd make sure Arcee watched every moment of it. For eons, she'd imagine those arrogant, self-righteous, optics widening in horror at the sight of her partners mutilation. It would finally satisfy the hunger for revenge building in her for all those years.

Arcee had taken her beloved sister from her, blinded by her selfish quest for vengeance, leaving her with nothing. She'd wallowed in self-pity, hid away from others in order to think about what had happened, and even considered off-lining herself at one point. It was then that she found something to serve as her goal; killing Arcee. She had adopted some of the spider's tricks in mental torture and incorporated them. Countless others had served as her test subjects, but she refrained from killing them.

That honor was reserved for Arcee and her alone, but her human was a different story. The loved ones she'd taken before all watched her with looks of fear, their eyes pleading for mercy, only to be ignored as she continued to torture them. But this human, still considered an adolescent; his eyes only carried an angry defiance and, recently, a sympathetic understanding. Absurd! This boy knew nothing of the pain she'd endured all these centuries, watching as Arcee lived, sometimes happily while she was trapped in perpetual despair.

No, the boy would not deter her from her vengeance; he'd only serve as her final nail in Arcee's casket.

**FlameWar**

In the confines of his prison, Jack thought about all that happened leading up to this point. It had started with him enjoying the sunset with Arcee as he always did when a mysterious bike attacked and attempted to capture him. This forced Arcee's (over)protective side to emerge, ready to brutalize anything that would cause him harm. Miko unfortunately felt a small dose of the femme's wrath when she nearly caused Jack to be captured again. Jack briefly found himself on her bad side when he suggested returning to school after another near kidnapping.

Despite her clear worry for him, Jack abandoned base to confront Vince for what he'd done to Raf in order to draw him out. That was all the 'Con needed to get her servos on him and now he was here, waiting to be tortured again. His could no longer feel his damaged rotator cuff, still numb from the numerous electrical shocks. Jack could still not wrap his head around what FlameWar had told him about Arcee. Some might call it stubbornness, but Jack just couldn't associate Arcee with something so horrible.

He couldn't associate her with such a horrible memory now that she'd finally started shedding that dark shell of hers. He would always believe in Arcee; she was his partner, his family.

**FlameWar**

Ratchet continued to tinker with every frequency he could think of, but none of them were working. Who'd have thought locating one Seeker would be tougher than locating an entire warship? Stopping for a brief moment, he pinched the bridge of his "nose" and thought. Every problem had a solution and this was no different. He found the _Nemesis_, so finding the Seeker should have been simple enough.

He began working again; he couldn't afford to waste any time with Jack's life hanging in the balance. He may have been the first to put down humanity, but that didn't mean he thought of them all as the same; well… not anymore. Rafael possessed an intellect that rivaled his very own. Miko, for all of her annoying traits, brought an adventurous spirit to the battle. And Jack would no doubt make a great Prime were he an Autobot.

Of course, he'd never admit these thought out loud, but he was certain the children (well, Rafael and Jack) were aware. Plus, he'd never hear the end of it from Bulkhead and Wheeljack if they ever heard him say such things. He stopped briefly again to ponder; how could this be so hard? The computers could locate Starscream if he sent them a signal, but not the other way- By Primus, that was it!

Pulling up the records of every outside transmission they'd received, he found the two frequencies Starscream used to contact them and began to trace them to their point of origin. It didn't take long for the computer to come up with a location. The pinging of the monitor drew the attention of the others as the gathered around. Ratchet turned to them, "The Harbinger."

**FlameWar**

**A/N: That's more like it. I hope you enjoyed.**


	19. Chapter 19

**A/N: Next chapter might be the final one.**

**Chapter 19**

Deep within the desert and hidden by the mountains, an alien vessel lie in ruin thanks to its separation from its other half. Once the proud Decepticon warship, Harbinger, the ship was now reduced to little more than a landmark. Currently, it played host to the now independent mech, Starscream. One would say this was a perfect description for "How the mighty have fallen", but there were few who would ever deem Starscream "mighty". The Seeker had spent his entire existence making more enemies than friends.

Among the Autobots, he was known for his cowardly approach to battle while boasting his own magnificence. He wasn't above taking any opportunity to attack when the chance presented itself. He'd slain his fair share of Autobots in his lifetime, but few were ever face to face. One such times wash is most recent kill: Cliffjumper. He could still see the brash arrogance leave the Autobot as he struck him down.

Of course, that had earned him the wrath of the insufferable femme: Arcee, who would stop at nothing to rip out his spark in the same manner. His standing with the Decepticons was no better, but possibly worse. For eons, he had tried to commandeer leadership of the faction from Megatron himself, using whatever means accessible at the time. But somehow, the Kaon gladiator had managed to comeback, a great fury always following him. Starscream would then spend the next few solar cycles in the worst pain of his life.

The Seeker convinced himself the Megatron's beatings had only made him stronger for when he would take his rightful place as the Decepticon leader. But despite his careful planning, he could not escape the "Eyes and Ears" of the Decepticons: Soundwave. Oh, he had tried to convince the silent mech to join him in overthrowing Megatron, but his loyalty to gladiator was far too great. Still, to challenge Soundwave was to risk the loyalty of all Decepticons, and Starscream couldn't risk it at the time. Finally, there came the day when Megatron decided to put an end to the Seeker's treachery.

Leading him to that accursed mine, Megatron attempted to extinguish Starscream's spark at that very moment. If not for the femme and her pet vermin, then he would have been killed. Instead, he attempted to earn back Megatron's favor, which only resulted in him nearly being killed and groveling to large mech for mercy. Not long after, he severed all ties with the Decepticons and was a now a rogue. Sadly, things had only gotten worse for him.

The Autobots hated him and the Decepticons hunted him, forcing him to choose his moments to emerge and take what energon he could. Even worse, he recently lost his T-Cog to those pitiful humans: MECH and was now grounded. Unable to feel the wind beneath his wings and forced to use some pitiful contraption for transportation. Sure, he had a T-Cog from one of his clones, but he was too much of a coward to install it himself. So, he lie in wait for something to happen that would prove beneficial for him.

Having grown tired of simply recalling the past, he decided to stretch his limbs and got outside to think. Once outside, he stretched and took a deep breath of oxygen he didn't require, wondering what to do next. His thoughts were interrupted when a ground-bridge appeared before him. He stiffened, wondering which side had come for him; Autobots or Decepticons? Either way, he needed to hide fast… but he couldn't. He was Starscream and he ran from no 'Bot or 'Con.

Except for the femme that stepped out of the portal and met his gaze with her cold blue optics. Immediately the Seeker shrieked and brought his rockets out, ready to fire when the other Autobots arrived. He relaxed slightly, knowing Optimus Prime wouldn't allow the femme to tear him apart in his presence. Straightening himself, he leered at the four newcomers to his "home", "Optimus Prime. To what do I owe this 'honor'?"

"We seek information, Starscream," the Prime replied.

"And why should I give you anything?" he scoffed.

"Maybe because we helped you when you needed it!" Bulkhead snarled.

"If I recall," the Seeker waved a hand. "I had information to trade for you aid. Helping to restore your memory and warning you of Airachnid's Inseticon."

"So you could lure us all, her, and Megatron together so we'd kill each other," the Wrecker replied.

"What?" he was taken aback for a moment. "Umm… Yes, well…"

"Starscream," Optimus' tone reminded the three Autobots of what was at stake. "We need to know if there are any auxiliary bases on this planet."

"But of course…" Starscream looked dumbfounded for a moment before smacking himself on the head. "Of course there are! And I could have been using them all this time instead of taking up residence in this pile of junk!" The Autobots watched Starscream's episode in confusion for a moment as the Seeker snarled at himself before regaining his composure. "And why would such installations peak your interest? Hoping to steal any energon that might be found at these sights?"

"That's none of your business," Arcee hissed, all of her strength being put forth not to shoot the Decepticon responsible for Cliffjumper's death. It may have been her idea to seek out Starscream for help, but she still didn't like it.

"But I can't help you if I don't know," he smirked. "After all, I would be risking Megatron's wrath by giving away such vital information. We can't all be as strong as the Autobots, now can we?"

"A new Decepticon has arrived on Earth and taken one of our human allies hostage," Optimus explained. "We believe they are using one of these bases as a hiding spot."

"And if Arcee is willing to put up with the one who slew Cliffjumper, then it must be her pet vermin, correct." Arcee's growl was answer enough as Starscream grinned darkly. "And what would you be willing to give me in exchange for this information?"

"We won't kill you, for one," Arcee growled, her anger reaching dangerous levels. The only thing keeping her from gutting the Seeker was her greater worry for Jack's safety. It was funny thinking Starscream owed Jack his life for this.

"While I am 'grateful' for that, I'll need a little something extra, say your medic installing a T-Cog for me?"

"Where on Earth did you get a T-Cog?" Bulkhead gaped.

"You recall beating one of my clones to death, don't you Wrecker?" Starscream explained. "Well, he was not the only one. I had sent them to eliminate Megatron, but they were unsuccessful and the only survivor attempted to kill me."

"What a shocker," Arcee scoffed. "Only you would backstab yourself."

"Yes well… even that inferior copy was no match for my might! Now do we have a deal, or will you let your vermin die like you did Cliffjumper?" That was the final straw as Arcee lunged at him, her wrist blades drawn. Her movements had been so swift, that all Strascream could do was shriek as he found himself pinned to the ground. The others made a move to stop her, but Optimus held them back, having faith that Arcee's desire to protect Jack would override her thirst for vengeance. The blue femme was in a state of internal mayhem.

_'Kill him!' _her inner voice commanded. _'He killed Cliff and has the nerve to brag about in your face!'___For a moment, she thought about it; how long before another chance to avenge Cliff would come along? Every cycle this pathetic Seeker was alive was an insult to the red Autobot's memory, but… he was the only one who knew where to find these bases. If she killed him, then she'd risk losing Jack after swearing to protect him.

And like that, Jack's words came back to her.

**Flamewar**

**(Flashback)**

_Returning to the small house in Jasper, Arcee rolled into the garage of her human charge, Jack Darby, who greeted her with a smile, as the door closed. She shifted back into vehicle mode and Jack's smile turned to worry when he saw the claw marks on her torso. Had the day not been so emotionally draining for he, she might have laughed. But she was in no mood for humor and Jack could sense it, "What happened?"_

_ "Nothing," she replied, coldly, which meant something did happen, but she wouldn't budge without a fight. Undeterred, Jack took a seat at his work table and stared at her as she leaned against the wall. It took a lot for Arcee to let her inner walls down and only the slightest emotional distress would put them back up._

_ Risking it, Jack asked, "Was it Airachnid?" She sighed, meaning he was onto something, but there was more to it. She wanted him to stop, but it was times like this that she really needed his companionship and he was always happy to provide it. Risking it further, he got from his chair and sat on her leg, placing his hand on her servo, "Tell me."_

_ And like that, Arcee told him everything that transpired today; Ratchet, locating the Harbinger, confronting Airachnid, capturing Starscream, and finally, learning that the Seeker was responsible for Cliffjumper's death. When she finished, she caught a slightly disappointed look on Jack's face and chuckled bitterly. That was the same look Optimus gave her when she went after Airachnid on her own._

_ "You killed Starscream?" he asked in slight whisper._

_ "No," she answered in a whisper of her own. "I wanted to, and I was going to until I saw Bumblebee. Then… I let him go." She expected him to have some look of content on his face at the news, but she only found a worried expression._

_ "How are you?" he gripped her large finger._

_ "I'm angry," she replied. "I'm angry at Starscream for killing Cliffjumper, at Optimus for making me watch him, at Bumblebee for showing up right when I was about to finish him, and… and…"_

_ "Angry at yourself for losing the information?" he stated rather than asked._

_ "Do you think I should have just let it go?" A passive look crossed over Jack's face, one Arcee hadn't seen before. He took a deep breath before leaving the room, coming back only minutes later with a picture of a man in an officer's uniform._

_ "My dad?" he answered her unasked question. "He was on traffic duty when he wrote some guy up speeding. Then… the guy shot him." Arcee gasped lightly, taking in what he'd told her before he continued. "The police found him and now he's in jail, but I still don't have a father. I still have to watch my mom cry on his birthday and sleep with one his old shirt to calm herself. Last year, I went to the prison where he was being held and I saw him for the first time."_

_ "What did you do?" she asked hesitantly._

_ "I sat him down," he replied. "He knew who I was the second he walked into the room. I went in there expecting to see a monster, but I found a man remorseful of his actions. I showed him pictures of my dad with mom and me. He broke down and started crying, saying he was sorry over and over again. Afterwards, I left, feeling like a different person."_

_ "Are you saying I should show Starscream and Airachnid pictures of me with Cliff and Tailgate?" She didn't understand the meaning of this message. She doubted those two would be as emotional._

_ "No," he replied. "But you should just let it go, prove you're stronger. Let your anger out and then just let it go. I can't imagine it'll be easy, but I know you can do it." And just like that, her anger was gone and she was smiling gently at her young charge as he left for bed._

_ "Thank you," she whispered._

**FlameWar**

Arcee's optics came back to focus on the Seeker, who waited for her to finish what she'd stared months ago, but she didn't. Jack had faith in her and she'd go to the Pits before she let him down. She got off the Seeker, who stared at her in shock before receiving a powerful kick to the face. It was only a fraction of the hatred boiling inside her, but enough for her to focus on what was important. She stepped aside as Optimus approached the Seeker, nodding with pride at his second-in-command.

"Starscream, we accept your terms, but only after we have located the base Jack is being held at. Do you agree?" The Seeker, still in shock, nodded as Optimus contacted Ratchet for a ground-bridge.

**FlameWar**

**A/N: I hope you enjoyed.**


	20. Chapter 20

**A/N: I've decided that since school is back in session, that I'll start updating every weekend. Hope you don't mind Friday's episode of Transformers: Prime was great, but I'm even more excited for Shockwave next week!**

**Chapter 20**

Within the Harbinger, Ratchet was standing by to perform surgery on Starscream, having swapped places with Bulkhead. The Seeker stood at the Harbinger's monitors decoding the frequencies used to hide their presence. He couldn't help but glance at the femme in the corner who was staring off in to space. She had been mere moments from extinguishing his spark, but she let him live. He shook his head; probably because the other Autobots were around or something.

Over his shoulder, Optimus Prime watched him intently, wanting to be the first to know when these bases were found. Then they would go through deciphering which one would be a suitable hideout for this Decepticon. Then the true challenge would begin. If the enemy they faced was indeed FlameWar, then it already prove difficult to rescue Jack before he further harmed. Optimus stole a glance of his own at Arcee.

He couldn't help but feel proud of her for what she had done today. Once again, she had risen above revenge and showed mercy to those many would think unworthy. Eons of chasing after the past had no doubt taken its toll on her, so revenge didn't seem as tempting was it once was. He couldn't help but think Jack had played some role, however large or small, in this change. He returned his gaze to the computer while Starscream continued to work.

The Seeker was no stranger to getting passed Decepticon firewalls when he needed to. All he had to do was upload a recent file from the _Nemesis_, which he "acquired" from a Vehicon and begin a aglobal scan. Part of Starcream couldn't believe this was actually working since this ship had gone eons without repair. Still, the results of the scan were slow coming. _'Come on you piece of scrap! I've been without a T-Cog for too long!'_

Finally the computer pinged with the results, the Autobots gathering behind Optimus to hear what Starscream says. The Seeker turned and cleared his throat, "According to the scanners, there are at least a dozen auxiliary bases on this planet. Each placed deep within this planet's less inhabited areas. Well, less inhabited by humans anyway. See for yourself." He stepped aside, allowing them to look at the results. He'd already chosen his new hideout and could only hope there was enough energon for himself. "Now I believe we had a deal."

"Once we find Jack, Ratchet will install your new T-Cog," Optimus replied.

"That is not what we agreed upon!" the Seeker snarled. "You said if I helped you find the bases, not that vermin, that your medic would install my T-Cog! You can't change our deal!"

"Locating Jack is our top priority," the Prime replied.

"Then what if I just destroy the computer?" Starscream aimed one of his missiles at the scream. "Then your human will be lost forever! I have already memorized the coordinates of each, so it's of no use to me!"

"I've already downloaded the coordinates," Ratchet replied, pulling out some sort of hard drive from the computer. "We can go back to our bases and sort through them there, while you remain grounded."

"B-But that's not fair! I helped you, like we agreed upon, even after that crazy femme tried to kill me!"

"With good reason," she replied, still looking over the screens, trying to figure out just where FlameWar was keeping Jack. Each site was strategically sound and placed well to keep large enemies at bay. But there was more to it than just placing. One of these bases had to have some sort of appeal to her, not just as a hideout, but as something more. Arcee thought back to what she'd heard about FlameWar's personality.

The femme was known for her strategic approach to battle, never rushing in without some kind of plan. She used the terrain of the battlefield to her advantage whenever she could. Even behind enemy lines, she was a force to be reckoned with, managing to evade capture and leave enemy fuel supplies devastated. She could think on her toes and act just as swiftly as an idea came into her head. But that was the old FlameWar, before Arcee got involved.

Now, she was obsessed with revenge, wanting to make Arcee suffer the way she had. She had been watching the femme for eons without rest, having apparently been "right behind her this whole time". So it meant she was comfortable in the shadows, just like Airachnid. But she had taken comfort in them, not wanting to be seen by anyone until it was too late, just like in the canyon. So that meant, she was somewhere where it was dark, hidden in shadow, and filled with… mystery.

Narrowing down the scan, she found her target: The Amazon Rainforest.

**FlameWar**

FlameWar entered Jack's cell, ready to inflict even more pain on the boy in retribution for her sister. They boy showed no fear or anger, only that look of sympathetic pity and it sickened her to her very spark. How dare this human act as if he knew what it was like to lose someone he cared for so deeply for so pathetic a reason? She stuck him with the prod sending jolts of electricity through his body. She watched as it ticked uncontrollably, his face pained. He looked at her again, sympathy shining through the pain.

She attacked him again, only to get the same result, the sympathy never leaving his eyes. Snarling, she grabbed him by the throat and glared furiously at the boy, "Why do you look at me like that? I am your captor, and soon, your murderer!"

"Because…" he panted. "I can't help it… I see someone in pain… and I want to help them. I'm sorry for what happened to you. Nothing justifies what Arcee did, but she was going through the exact same thing you are right now. I don't think your sister would-" Jack was cut off by FlameWar cutting through him yet again, followed by another electric shock.

"You know nothing of my sister!" she shrieked. "No one will thanks to Arcee! She will pay and watch you die! I've waited too long for something as simple as emotion to stop me now!" She continued her torture of Jack, the boy keeping his thoughts on the Autobots, hoping they would find him soon.

**FlameWar**

As Arcee had gone over her plan in her head, she turned back to the others, Starscream's rant filling her audio receptors. Ignoring him, she spoke, "I know where Jack is." The others looked to Arcee in shock but prepared to contact base for a pick up. Starscream immediately threw himself between them and the exit.

"None of you are leaving until I have a T-Cog!" he snarled, ready to fight anyone who would challenge him. "We had a deal! I would think a Prime of all people would understand the meaning of honor!"

"Oh for Primus' sake," Ratchet rolled his optics. "Let's go."

"Ratchet," Arcee spoke. "He's right, we made a deal. Now we have to honor it. You stay here while I go find Jack."

"Arcee…" Optimus warned.

"I know it's reckless to go alone, but this is between me and FlameWar. I started this and now I have to finish it. If anything, she'll get what she wants and I might be able to get Jack out of there. Then, you can come in and take her down yourselves." The Prime stared at his second-in-command, unable to deny the determination in her optics despite the clear and present danger.

"Very well," he replied, turning to Starscream. "Does the Harbinger possess a ground-bridge?" The Seeker looked as if he'd seen a ghost.

"F-FlameWar?" he gasped. "You mean she's here on Earth, alive? She and her sister were supposed to have been killed… by you!"

"Well, she's alive and has my partner, now does thing have a bridge or not?" she narrowed her optics, ready to shoot Starcream if necessary. Regaining his composure, the Seeker led them to the ground-bridge. Arcee entered the coordinates and opened the bridge, glancing back at the others before stepping through.

**FlameWar**

No sooner did she find herself within the Amazon rain forest, tree as high as she'd even seen them, blocking out the sun. A perfect place for a base to lay and for one such as FlameWar to hide. Beginning her search, she remained on foot to keep from being discovered. She was as close to the base as she could get without tipping off the deranged femme. Stumbling through the forest, she kept her optics peeled for anything out of the ordinary.

Even here, a Decepticon base would most likely be well hidden and the lack of light wasn't helping either. Pulling out her scanner, she followed it to the target, her guard up for any surprises that might come her way. In the darkness, she couldn't help but be reminded of the cell she was kept in during her torture of Airachnid. She could still feel those stasis cuffs suspending her off the ground. She shuddered at the memory but remained focus.

She'd beaten Airachnid and she would beat FlameWar to save Jack, to repay for he'd done for her. Hopefully, he was still alive and would be able to get of here on his own if worse came to worse. According to her scanner, she was right on top of her target. Looking down she brushed away some of the greenery to reveal the Decepticon shield. Opening the hatch, she entered the ship, hopefully without alerting anyone to her presence.

Moving through the darkness, she entered a hallway that was as dimly lit as the _Nemesis_. Moving swiftly, she glanced around each corner for enemies, though she expected only FlameWar would be here. At another corner, she stopped when she heard the sound of a door shifting open. Glancing around the corner, she noticed a figure step out into the hall. She immediately pulled her head back to keep from being seen.

_'FlameWar'_ she thought. It could be no one else other than her. But that room she stepped out of; could it be where she was holding Jack? Risking another glance, she saw no one in the hall and crept up to the door. Stepping inside, she was met with the sight of her partner, suspended by chains. He looked like he'd been through the Pits of Kaon, but he was alive.

As she neared, he took notice of her, but didn't see anything, probably because he couldn't see her. Stepping in to the light, she smiled at his shock. He couldn't believe, but it was Arcee; she was here.

"Arcee…" he couldn't but smile at her, despite his body's aching.

"Let's get you home," she took hold of the chains, glancing down at him in worry. "Are you sure you can handle this."

"Do it," he replied. She undid the chains as gently as she could, ignoring the hisses of pain from her partner. She held him gently before taking her leave. Checking to make sure there was no one in the hall, she darted towards the exit. Making it out into the jungle, looked down at her partner.

"Jack, do you think you can walk if worse comes to worse?" he was about to protest when an explosion was heard, the sound of a motorcycle filling the air of the forest. It didn't take long for the femme to appear before the two partners. Arcee gently set Jack down before standing to confront FlameWar.

"I should have known you'd find some way to locate your human," she snarled. "If I knew you'd come to me, I'd have planned his execution accordingly." Still shrouded in the darkness, the femme's blue optics burned with cold fire, threatening to burn everything in her path.

"I'm here," Arcee replied. "I'm the one you want. Let Jack go. He's got nothing to do with this."

"Just like how my sister and I had nothing to do with your quest for vengeance!" she shrieked. "A quest you were too weak to finish!"

"She's not weak," Jack replied, his voice a rasp from all the pain he endured.

"It's okay," Arcee replied. "FlameWar, you have every right to hate me for what I did. If you let Jack go, and promise to leave him alone, then I'll let you take your revenge."

"…NEVER!" she aimed her blaster at Jack and fired.

**FlameWar**

**A/N: This was supposed to go up yesterday, but there were… complications. Anyway, Friday's episode, "Hurt" has definitely convinced me to make the ShadowStrike Rising sequel about Miko.**


	21. Chapter 21

**A/N: Thanks for all of your support throughout this fic! Since my school was closed due to Hurricane Isaac, I can update this story.**

**Chapter 21**

Arcee wasted no time in swiftly moving Jack from harm's way, hiding him behind a toppled tree in the confusion. Making sure he was safe, she drew out her wrist blades and turned to face FlameWar. The 'Con, still shrouded in the darkness glared furiously at her, her blasters charging for another attack. Charging forward, she dodged the blaster fire and tackled the femme, trapping her beneath. Punching her in the face multiple times, she pinned the femme's arms down.

"I'm here!" she screamed. "You wanted this, right? You've got me! Leave Jack out of this!"

"The only the boy will leave this conflict is through Death's embrace," FlameWar managed to reverse the position, punching the femme repeatedly. "Just! Like! My! Sister!" Slamming her fists into Arcee's face repeatedly, she almost lost sight of what she was after. Not bothering to check if the cause of her torment was subdued, she turned towards where she'd hidden the boy. Searching the area where she had aimed her blaster, she scanned for any sign of movement. The sun was setting, dimming the already dark forest.

She knew he would not run; his care for Arcee would be what led her to him. Catching movement, she blasted the target and moved to check. She found she'd only managed to kill some unidentified animal. Growling in frustration, she continued her search, just as Arcee charged her again. This time, she was prepared and answered her attack with a powerful spin kick.

The cobalt femme was sent flying backwards into a tree while FlameWar continued her search for the boy. She knew this was fate tempting her, teasing her with the opportunity of revenge at the cost of her original plan. She would not give in to temptation. She had a plan and she would execute it to last the detail. The darkness provided by the forest had turned against her and was now protecting the boy.

It made no difference. If the darkness had betrayed her, then there was no point in dwelling in it. She had made preparations for just such an occasion. Taking out a small device, she detonated the explosives. The darkness was washed away by the light of an untamable fire, yet still her form remained shrouded.

"You cannot escape boy!" she growled. "I know that you won't abandon your beloved partner! Show yourself and your death will be swift!" That would be the only comforting assurance she would grant Arcee, not unlike the cycles she spent trying to stave of death's embrace on her sister. Cycles seemed like vorns as she did all she could to save her sister's life, only to fail. She would not be as cruel and would grant the boy a merciful death, so long as he made this easy for himself. Once again, Arcee pounced her, blocking her counterstrike with one of her own.

The fire danced around them, rising like the cheers in the Pits of Kaon as they clashed, punch for punch, kick for kick. FlameWar had an answer for even Arcee's basic strikes, answering with her own, more powerful ones. She kneed her in the gut, slamming her elbow into her back, ending with her heel strut across Arcee's chin. Dragging across the ground, the blue femme spat out energon, glaring furiously at her opponent. Even with the fire surrounding them, she still appeared shrouded in darkness.

Was that the cost of revenge, the very kind she'd sought for eons against Airachnid and most recently, Starscream? Is that how others perceived her to be after Tailgate's death? The very thought of becoming such a creature made Arcee shiver. Jack had saved her spark in more ways than one. And she owed to him to keep him safe from this monster.

Standing on her pedes again, she took a stance, FlameWar mirroring her, and charged. With every one of the deranged femme's attacks, she had an answer of her own. Finally, she managed to pin her down again, "Stop this! Will killing Jack change anything? I've already seen my partner die in front of me! That's why I killed your sister! I was just like you!"

"NO!" FlameWar managed to shove Arcee off of her. "The gap between is greater than the distance between our planet and this one! Unlike you, I won't hesitate and spare you righteous vengeance!" She leaped towards Arcee, twirling in mid-air, her heel strut once again finding the femme's face. Managing to keep her stance, Arcee managed to drive her knees into the femme's chest. She could hear the cracks of the trees; it wouldn't be long before the entire forest came down on them if this didn't end soon.

But it didn't matter as long as Jack was safe!

**FlameWar**

Within the auxiliary Decepticon base, Jackson Darby managed to move quickly through the halls despite the damage done to his body. Every nerve of his body screamed in pain as he forced them to move beyond their limit. He knew Arcee wouldn't fight back until she thought he was gone, so he managed to make it back to the base in the hopes of finding something to use. The series of explosions he heard moments ago cause the knot in his stomach to tighten. He hoped Arcee would fight long enough for him to find something useful.

This was one of the many times he hated the large halls of Cybertronian bases, given how his size made them seem miles long. In reality, the path was probably no more than a few steps from a Cybertronian's point of view. He thought back to how long he'd been here and how many doors he heard open and close shut. Closing his eyes, he remembered each sound. First she would exit what was probably her room.

Then, the next opening would be heard as she entered the hall where his cell was located, stopping one last time. That would be the last open and close of a door before she would enter and begin torturing him. So the room where she probably kept the tools was close to his cell. Arriving at his cell, he looked over the area, trying to ignore the rapid beat of his heart. The beating was from exhaustion and worry.

His eyes landing on the door across the hall, further down, Jack headed straight for it, his body protesting with pain. Taking deep breaths, he managed to make to the door, which opened for him, revealing several different tools. No doubt this would be for torturing him later had the chance been given. Ignoring whatever thoughts he had of what she had in store for him, Jack entered the room in search of something that would help him aid Arcee. But all he saw were weapons used for torture, and none he would wish on his arch enemy.

Finally, he decided to grab the prod, the device shifting its mass to fit Jack's grip. Making sure the device worked, Jack proceeded to look for whatever passed as an energon fuel line. If there was one thing he was good for when it came to deranged Decepticon femmes, it was blowing up their homes.

**FlameWar**

Outside the base, Arcee and FlameWar continued their fearsome battle, trading blows and spilling each other's energon. The blue femme had managed to finally put her blades to use and cut FlameWar. The femme may have shrugged it off, but at least Arcee was making progress. Managing to drive her knee into the FlameWar's gut, Arcee managed to slash her back. Energon leaked from the wound as FlameWar merely glared like it was nothing.

"I don't want to fight you," Arcee panted. "You have every right to hate me for what I did. If you want my life, then you can take it! But leave Jack alone!"

"You still understand nothing," FlameWar spat bitterly. "The only way for you to truly experience the horror of your crime is for me to cut out the entrails of the boy right in front of your optics! Then, I'll rip out your Pit-spawned spark!"

"Then you leave me no choice," Arcee withdrew her blades and charged, blocking FlameWar's counter and landing several punches. Reeling back, FlameWar answered with several severe kicks to face, abdomen, and gut. The two femmes were evenly matched, meaning this battle could go on for eons without an end in sight. In the background, several trees were heard falling to the fire below. It wouldn't be long before the entire forest was consumed.

But Arcee couldn't focus on that now, she had to keep this femme away from Jack for as long as it took him to find a way to contact base. But the only way to do that would be for him to… Scrap! She should have known he wouldn't listen to her. He hardly ever did when her well-being was an issue. Now, Arcee had to hold FlameWar before she too realized Jack had gone back to the base.

Neither femme dared take their optics of one another, waiting for their opponent to slip up so they could attack. Forgoing their patience, the femmes were once again engaged in a deep brawl, punching and clawing at one another. Their armor was heavily scratched and damaged from the battle. Arcee didn't look forward to explaining that to Ratchet. They separated and were about to resume their battle when a large explosion filled the area.

Much to Arcee's horror, it had come from the direction of the auxiliary base. Optics widening, the energon in her ran cold, "Jack…"

"What?" FlameWar briefly glared at her opponent before turning her gaze back to where the explosion had come from. The human managed to do that? Impossible! But Arcee seemed to believe so, which left FlameWar with no other alternative. If the boy had indeed ended his own life, then she could care less about what fate thought of her.

Managing to tackle Arcee, she drove her fist through the femme's stomach, earning a cry of pain. Yanking her servo back, she watched with sick glee as energon dripped from the wound. She was about to finish the femme and finally bring eons of vengeance to an end when something caught her optic. To her shock, the boy stood before her, alive and well. "Impossible," she gasped.

Glancing down at herself, she couldn't help but reel back realizing what she'd done. Arcee recovered briefly and managed to make it back to Jack's side. FlameWar didn't notice, too horrified by the truth. Eons of planning and waiting had been wasted because she chose to believe what her optics saw. Nothing was ever as it seemed; she knew this best of all, but she still believed it.

"No," she spoke through gritted teeth. "No, no, no, no, no…"

"Jack!" Arcee managed to speak despite her wound. "I told you to run."

" I wasn't going to leave you," he argued. "Besides, it looks like I just save you. The energon vein is going to blow any minute. We need to get to base now!" Arcee nodded and contacted them for a ground-bridge. As they waited, Jack had another lapse in judgment and ran towards FlameWar, "You've got to come with us!"

"No, no, no…" she repeated as if it were a chant. Jack didn't register to her anymore; all that mattered was that she had ruined her chance at the perfect revenge.

"Jack!" Arcee called as the bridge appeared. One look from told the whole story as she rushed towards FlameWar, "Come on!" She made a grab for the femme, only for her to shove her away.

"Do not touch me!" she shrieked, all signs of sanity in her optics gone. "You will not stop me from killing the boy, then you!" Instinctively, Arcee moved to shield Jack when she saw FlameWar run towards the inferno.

"I will find the boy and bring him back so you can watch him die!" she yelled, deranged. Jack tried to follow her, making any attempt he could to reach her, but she was lost. Arcee grabbed her charge and pulled him through the ground-bridge, the vortex disappearing just as the energon vein ignited, blowing up.

**FlameWar**

It had been a few weeks since then. Fowler managed to get the fires under control with some help from the 'Bots. There was nothing in the wreckage suggesting FlameWar survived or perished. June had returned from her seminar, both livid and relieved at the sight of her son. She accosted Arcee with a glare for weeks. Arcee did nothing to stop it, knowing she deserved it despite Jack's protests.

She and Jack had hardly been afforded any time together since that night, with June wanting the two to be separated for a short time and Optimus insisting Arcee rest. The femme couldn't help but think of FlameWar when she was awake and in her nightmares. The similarities between them were too numerous to count, the only difference being Jack. He had saved her from the darkness that had consumed FlameWar all these years. She knew she had to speak with him, but waited until Ratchet cleared her for depature.

It would be another week before her injuries would heal completely and she was cleared to leave base, with Ratchet's usual warning about being careful. She and Jack went back to the old ghost town where it had all began. The silence between them was thick with awkwardness and uncertainty. The two partners had so much to say, yet no idea how to voice their thoughts. Finally, Arcee spoke, "Thank you."

Jack was unsurprisingly taken back by this comment, not at all expecting gratitude to be the first thing to pass through her lips. If anything, he should be the one thanking her for all she'd done to find him. But he allowed her to elaborate on her meaning, "Thank you for making sure I didn't end up like FlameWar, consumed by revenge."

"That wasn't me," he replied. "It was all you. It wouldn't have mattered what I did, you would have turned out the way you chose to."

"But you played a role and I don't want to hear otherwise," she replied, somewhat sternly, but the playful tone was evident. "So Thank you."

"You're welcome," he smiled warmly at her. "Partner." She kneeled down and pulled him into an embrace, the rarest form of emotion she would ever show to him. He wrapped his arms around her and returned the gesture with as much heart. He couldn't help the tears streaming down his face as he began to sob, Arcee rubbing his back gently.

**FlameWar**

**A/N: I hope you enjoyed this story. This weekend, I hope to publish the sequel to ShadowStrike Rising. It will focus on Miko going down her own journey to save Bulkhead after he left comatose thanks to Hardshell. Next Story: Darksider: The Prime Judgment (Special thanks to MeLeeSmasher for the title). 'Til then, Farewell.**


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